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Non-darcy seepage through layered porous media is common in soil-groundwater systems under the influence of human activities. The effect of average particle size and coarse-fine particle interface on the characteristics of non-Darcy porous flow through layered porous media was investigated from the relation between hydraulic gradient and flow velocity, non-Darcy seepage parameters, and critical Reynolds number. The results show that when water flows through layered porous media, the coarse-fine particle interface has an important effect on the characteristics of non-Darcy flow. The critical Reynolds number, which is used to judge the transition from Darcy flow to non-Darcy flow, decreases with the increase of the average particle size in monolayer porous media, but increases with the increase of the average particle size and the decrease of the coarse/fine particle size ratio when water flows through layered porous media. The critical Reynolds number of single-layer porous media is lower than that of the double-layer porous media with the same corresponding particle size due to the coarse-fine particle interface. By introducing the nonlinear component index E, it is found that the coarse/fine particle interface has a certain inhibitory effect on the hydrodynamic inertia force component, and the inhibitory effect degree is negatively correlated with the difference in size of the coarse and fine particles. The results in this study have a good guiding significance for studying non-Darcy seepage through layered rock and soil.

The mine anchor cable, which is mainly made of multiple steel strands, has the advantages of bendability, strong breaking resistance, and low cost. It is widely used in the stability control of coal roadway surrounding rock, especially the roadway roof. The twist is one of the important parameters for making anchor cable, which is often ignored in coal mines because of the lack of understanding when selecting anchor cable. In order to explore whether the lay distance parameter has an influence on the tensile mechanical properties and anchoring effect of anchor cable, this paper combines theoretical analysis with laboratory tests to preliminarily clarify the influence of the lay distance parameter on the geometric deformation characteristics of anchor cable during tensile and clarify its influence mechanism on the anchorage force of anchor cable. Based on the experimental data of anchor cable tension and anchorage drawing, a numerical simulation model was constructed, compared with underground test results, and the relationship between the twist distance and the ultimate load and the maximum anchorage force was obtained, and the optimal twist distance which could give full play to the tensile mechanical properties and anchorage effect of cable was obtained. The results show that when the anchor cable is stretched, the twist distance has a negative correlation with elongation and a positive correlation with tensile limit load in a certain range. There is a certain geometric matching relationship between cable and anchorage agent interface. When the twist is reduced to 13 times its nominal diameter, the maximum anchorage force increases with the decrease of the twist. Considering the ultimate tensile load and maximum anchorage force of anchor cable, it is found that the best twist range which can give full play to the tensile mechanical properties and anchorage effect of anchor cable is 13−14 times the nominal diameter. The research results increase the understanding of the influence of anchor cable twist on its tensile mechanical properties, clarify the understanding of its anchorage mechanism, and provide a reference and theoretical support for the production of anchor cables and the selection of anchor cables in coal mines.

Abstract Motivated by the unexplored potential of in vitro neural systems for computing and by the corresponding need of versatile, scalable interfaces for multimodal interaction, an accurate, modular, fully customizable, and portable recording/stimulation solution that can be easily fabricated, robustly operated, and broadly disseminated is presented. This approach entails a reconfigurable platform that works across multiple industry standards and that enables a complete signal chain, from neural substrates sampled through micro‐electrode arrays (MEAs) to data acquisition, downstream analysis, and cloud storage. Built‐in modularity supports the seamless integration of electrical/optical stimulation and fluidic interfaces. Custom MEA fabrication leverages maskless photolithography, favoring the rapid prototyping of a variety of configurations, spatial topologies, and constitutive materials. Through a dedicated analysis and management software suite, the utility and robustness of this system are demonstrated across neural cultures and applications, including embryonic stem cell‐derived and primary neurons, organotypic brain slices, 3D engineered tissue mimics, concurrent calcium imaging, and long‐term recording. Overall, this technology, termed “mind in vitro” to underscore the computing inspiration, provides an end‐to‐end solution that can be widely deployed due to its affordable (>10× cost reduction) and open‐source nature, catering to the expanding needs of both conventional and unconventional electrophysiology.

Abstract Understanding the physical picture of Li ion transport in the current ionic conductors is quite essential to further develop lithium superionic conductors for solid-state batteries. The traditional practice of directly extrapolating room temperature ion diffusion properties from the high-temperature (>600 K) ab initio molecular dynamics simulations (AIMD) simulations by the Arrhenius assumption unavoidably cause some deviations. Fortunately, the ultralong-time molecular dynamics simulation based on the machine-learning interatomic potentials (MLMD) is a more suitable tool to probe into ion diffusion events at low temperatures and simultaneously keeps the accuracy at the density functional theory level. Herein, by the low-temperature MLMD simulations, the non-linear Arrhenius behavior of Li ion was found for Li3ErCl6, which is the main reason for the traditional AIMD simulation overestimating its ionic conductivity. The 1μs MLMD simulations capture polyanion rotation events in Li7P3S11 at room temperature, in which four [PS4]3− tetrahedra belonging to a part of the longer-chain [P2S7]4− group are noticed with remarkable rotational motions, while the isolated group [PS4]3− does not rotate. However, no polyanion rotation is observed in Li10GeP2S12, β-Li3PS4, Li3ErCl6, and Li3YBr6 at 300 K during 1μs simulation time. Additionally, the ultralong-time MLMD simulations demonstrate that not only there is no paddle-wheel effect in the crystalline Li7P3S11 at room temperature, but also the rotational [PS4]3− polyanion groups have weakly negative impacts on the overall Li ion diffusion. The ultralong-time MLMD simulations deepen our understanding of the relationship between the polyanion rotation and cation diffusion in ionic conductors at room environments.

Grain quality indicates rice commodity value. This research compared grain quality and physicochemical properties of premium japonica rice from three production regions, Yangtze River downstream of China (YRDCN), Northeast region of China (NECN) and Japan. Results showed that there were distinct quality and physicochemical characteristics variance among the three groups of japonica rice, while CVs of most quality parameters from low to high was Japan, YRDCN and NECN. YRDCN rice presented obvious lower apparent amylose content (AAC) and ratio of each chain-length sections of amylopectin, and showed higher protein contents especially glutelin and ratio in short and intermediate amylopectin molecules. Among three rice groups, YRDCN rice presented weaker appearance, whereas did not show inferior cooking and eating properties, which was primarily linked to lower AAC. Rice AAC and starch fine structure significantly correlated with pasting parameters, swelling power and solubility, while protein content had close relation with taste analyzer parameters. Results of this study indicated improvement direction for japonica rice of YRDCN, and also provided reference for consumers’ rice purchasing selection in accordance with individual taste preference.

Clay is widely encountered in nature and directly influences seepage behaviors, exerting a crucial impact on engineering applications. Under low hydraulic gradients, seepage behaviors have been observed to deviate from Darcy’s law, displaying a non-linear trend. However, the impacts of clay content on non-linear seepage behavior and its pore-scale mechanisms to date remain unclear. In this study, constant-head seepage experiments were conducted in sand–clay porous media under various hydraulic gradients. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) technology was utilized to monitor the bound-water and free-water contents of sand–clay porous media under different seepage states. The results show a threshold hydraulic gradient (i0) below which there is no flow, and a critical hydraulic gradient (icr) below which the relationship between the hydraulic gradient (i) and seepage velocity (v) is non-linear. Both hydraulic gradients increased with clay content. Moreover, the transformation between bound water and free water was observed during the seepage-state evolution (no flow to pre-Darcy or pre-Darcy to Darcy). As the hydraulic gradient reached the i0, the pore water pressure gradually overcame the adsorption force of the bound-water film, reducing the thickness of the bound-water film, and causing non-linear seepage behavior. When i0 < i < icr, the enlarging hydraulic gradient triggers the thinning of bound water and enhances the fluidity of pore water. Moreover, the increasing clay content augments the bound-water content required for the seepage state’s change.

Hydraulic conductivity generally decreases with depth in the Earth’s crust. The hydraulic conductivity–depth relationship has been assessed through mathematical models, enabling predictions of hydraulic conductivity in depths beyond the reach of direct measurements. However, it is observed that beyond a certain depth, hydraulic conductivity tends to stabilize; this phenomenon cannot be effectively characterized by the previous models. Thus, these models may make inaccurate predictions at deeper depths. In this work, we introduce an innovative exponential model to effectively assess the conductivity–depth relationship, particularly addressing the stabilization at greater depths. This model, in comparison with an earlier power-like model, has been applied to a globally sourced dataset encompassing a range of lithologies and geological structures. Results reveal that the proposed exponential model outperforms the power-like model in correctly representing the stabilized conductivity, and it well captures the fast stabilization effect of multiple datasets. Further, the proposed model has been utilized to analyze three distinct groups of datasets, revealing how lithology, geological stabilization, and faults impact the conductivity–depth relationship. The hydraulic conductivity decays to the residual hydraulic conductivity in the order (fast to slow): metamorphic rocks, sandstones, igneous rock, mudstones. The mean hydraulic conductivity in stable regions is roughly an order of magnitude lower than unstable regions. The faults showcase a dual role in both promoting and inhibiting hydraulic conductivity. The new exponential model has been successfully applied to a dataset from a specific engineering site to make predictions, demonstrating its practical usage. In the future, this model may serve as a potential tool for groundwater management, geothermal energy collection, pollutant transport, and other engineering projects.

Abstract To develop a nomogram prediction model capable of early identification of high-risk infective endocarditis (IE) patients. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 383 patients with IE and divided them into survival and non-survival groups according to different hospitalization outcomes. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression methods were used to screen independent risk factors affecting the survival outcome of IE, and a Nomogram prediction model was constructed by these factors. The Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was applied to assess the model fit, the discrimination and calibration of the model were evaluated by plotting ROC curves and calibration curves. Advanced age, embolic symptoms, abnormal leukocyte count, low hemoglobin level and double-sided IE were associated with higher in-hospital mortality in patients with IE (P

High temperature frequently occurs during rice’s early grain-filling period in the south of China, negatively affecting rice yield and quality and posing a major threat to local rice production. This experiment researched the influence of 3.5 °C warming during the first 20 grain-filling days on rice yield and quality and emphatically investigated the effects of the low-broadcast nitrogen fertilizer application level (LBN), high-broadcast nitrogen fertilizer application level (HBN) and foliar nitrogen fertilizer application (FN) at heading on the rice organ temperature, leaf photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, yield and grain quality, pasting and thermal properties under high temperature in 2020 and 2022, with a widely planted japonica rice variety, “Wuyunjing31”, in order to explore the practical mitigation measures for reducing the adverse impact of high temperature on rice productivity. The results showed that high temperatures during grain filling increased the rice plant temperature, damaged the chlorophyll fluorescence system and decreased the net photosynthesis rate. This led to a decline in the seed-setting rate and grain weight, resulting in a 7.0% and 13.9% yield loss in 2020 and 2022, respectively. In addition, high temperature caused a decline in the head rice rate and an increase in chalk occurrence and pasting temperature, thereby deteriorating rice grain quality. Under high temperatures, HBN enhanced the rice yield by 3.6% and 13.0% in 2020 and 2022, respectively, while FN enhanced the rice yield by 11.5% in 2022. The increase in yield was linked to the increased seed-setting rate and 1000-grain weight. LBN did not significantly affect the rice yield under high temperatures. The positive effects of nitrogen fertilizer measures on rice yield were associated with their role in lowering plant temperature and protection against the damage to the chlorophyll fluorescence system. All three nitrogen application measures generally improved rice milling quality and appearance quality under high temperature, with HBN generally showing the greatest impact. Under high temperature, LBN and FN tended to make the texture of cooked rice softer due to the decreased consistency, retrogradation enthalpy and retrogradation percentage, and this was closely associated with the decline in amylose content. In summary, nitrogen supplementation at the heading could efficiently mitigate the adverse impact of high temperature during the early grain-filling period on rice yield and quality.

In recent years, rice–crayfish integrated farming has expanded rapidly in the Hongze Lake district of China as the booming consumer market of crayfish. However, the current rice cultivation technology limits rice yield and the economic profits of rice–crayfish integrated farming, and the characteristics and farmers’ practices of rice culture under the rice–crayfish integrated farming system are unknown. To understand the present rice culture practices in rice–crayfish integrated farming by farmers and their perceptions and provide direction for improvement, a survey was carried out in 2019 and 2020 in Xuyi County, a representative region of rice–crayfish integrated farming in the Hongze Lake district of China, comprising 208 farmers engaged in RCIF, and detailed and complex information was obtained using face-to-face conversations. Based on the survey results, we found that farmers have limited knowledge of the rice cultivation request in a specific RCIF mode and well-suited rice varieties and mechanical transplanting equipment and corresponding techniques are lacking in RCIF. In addition, farmers had no reliable and scientific methods for the use of nitrogen fertilizers and pest management schemes. In accordance with the constraints mentioned above, we put forward the following suggestions for rice culture improvement: (i) the local agricultural extension department should strengthen the RCIF mode and extend techniques and training; (ii) researchers should develop RCIF-suited rice varieties, mechanical transplanters, and related seedling-raising methods; (iii) researchers should clarify the occurrence regularity of soil properties and rice pests with continuous RCIF practices and provide corresponding guidance for nitrogen application and pest control schemes.

Changing from conventional to organic farming might have fewer negative environmental impacts because of the avoidance of synthetic fertilizer and chemical pesticides. In this study, the economic viability and environmental and sustainability performance of the four dominant organic (rice-green manure rotation (RG), rice-duck co-culture (RD), rice-crayfish co-culture (RCF) and rice monoculture (RM)) and one conventional (rice monoculture (CRM)) rice production modes were evaluated in Jiangsu Province, China. Compared with the CRM mode, organic rice production increased economic benefits density and improved the economic benefit of crop land and irrigation water use. With the lowest total emergy input and the highest rice yield, the CRM mode showed the highest ecological efficiency in converting resources to total available energy content and nutrition density unit among the five rice production modes. However, the RCM mode showed higher environmental pressure and lower sustainability than the four organic modes due to the larger proportion of nonrenewable emergy input. The RM mode was the most uneconomic organic rice production mode with the highest cost input and the lowest product output but had relatively higher sustainability due to the higher proportion of renewable resources to total emergy inputs. Compared with the RM mode, the value-to-cost ratio, economic benefit density and benefit-cost ratio were increased in the RG, RD and RCF modes. Although the RD and RCF modes had higher efficiency in converting resources to total nutrition density units and monetary value, they imposed higher environmental pressure with a lower renewable fraction and emergy sustainability index than those in the RM mode. The RG mode had higher emergy utilization efficiency and the highest renewable fraction and emergy sustainability index among the four organic rice production modes. Considering the ecological and economic effects, the RG mode was conducive to improving the economic viability and sustainability of organic rice production.

Adsorption reaction in unsaturated porous media is of great importance for soil and groundwater remediation. In this study, the influence of the Peclet number (Pe) and water saturation on adsorption behavior at liquid-liquid interfaces was quantitatively investigated. The pore-scale reactive transport in unsaturated porous media was directly simulated. The Navier-Stokes equations, the surface transfer and adsorption reaction equations, and the advection-diffusion equation (ADE) were coupled to obtain the flow and concentration fields. The results showed that water saturation had a significant influence on the complexity of the flow field. A nonmonotonic relationship was found between water saturation and the uniformity of the flow field. Peclet number had little influence on the maximum adsorption. On the other hand, the adsorption time showed a nearly linear relationship with the Peclet number and increased with increasing Peclet number. Additionally, a nonlinear relationship was found between water saturation and the maximum adsorption. As water saturation increased, the maximum adsorption tended to increase to a peak and then decrease. The peak of the maximum adsorption occurred at Pe=5, Sw=0.458, and the shortest adsorption time was observed at Sw=0.902. However, the difference in adsorption times for saturations of 0.458 and 0.698 was not significant and was only about 20 PV difference.

Darcy's law has been widely used to study the groundwater drainage process within an aquitard. However, non-Darcy flow is frequently encountered in laboratory and in situ investigations. With consideration of a sudden drop in boundary hydraulic heads, aquitard compaction characteristics and their sensitivities to the non-Darcy flow control variables were analyzed. The non-Darcy flow was found to retard groundwater drainage, and the retardation effects were much more significant at early-to-intermediate time points. Under this specific boundary condition, the time–compaction curve in a log–log graph at early time points was found to be close to a straight line, whose slope can be used to indirectly evaluate the extent of the non-Darcy effect. A non-Darcy flow-based type curve method was developed for estimating aquitard hydraulic conductivity (K) and skeletal specific storage (Ss), and this method was used to interpret the time–compaction data recorded in a laboratory experiment. The tested aquitard was determined to be associated with non-Darcy flow due to the fact that the time–compaction curve deviated from the Darcy's law-based theoretical curve. Darcy's law resulted in an underestimated K. In contrast, the estimated Ss was almost unaffected by the flow state, if the observation lasted long enough to reach final steady compaction.

Recently, rice-aquatic animal integrated farming (RAAIF) has grown rapidly in China due to its favorable benefits and the lower application of pesticides and fertilizers. However, rice lodging occurs frequently under RAAIF, which restricts rice yield. We assumed that semi-deep water irrigation may cause weaker rice-lodging resistance since it is the most significant environmental factor for RAAIF that distinguishes it from rice monoculture. To investigate the response of rice stem lodging resistance to semi-deep water irrigation and its mechanism, three irrigation management modes, namely the typical high-yield irrigation model that is mainly based on swallow and wetting (CK), semi-deep water irrigation from the late tillering stage to the jointing stage (SDI1), and semi-deep water irrigation from the jointing stage to the middle grain-filling stage (SDI2), were conducted using three hybrid indica rice varieties: Shenliangyou136 (SLY136), Huiliangyousimiao (HLYSM), and Wanxiangyou982 (WXY982). Mechanics analysis indicated that the bending moment by the whole plant (WP) and the breaking strength (M) were both decreased by semi-deep water irrigation when compared with CK, while M presented a larger decreasing amplitude than WP, which induced the increased lodging index (LI) of rice, for all the tested varieties. SLY136 and HLYSM were affected more strongly by SDI1, whereas WXY982 was affected more strongly by SDI2. Significant weaker breaking force under two semi-deep water irrigation modes contributed to the decreased M relative to CK. Morphology results showed that semi-deep water irrigation reduced the thickness of mechanical tissues, sclerenchyma cells, and parenchyma cells; reduced the number of vascular bundles; and caused a looser arrangement, inducing the lower fullness of the rice basal internode. Decreased accumulation of lignin and cellulose was also linked to the weaker breaking force of the basal internode under semi-deep water irrigation, which was verified by correlation analysis. WXY982 had obvious lower structural carbohydrates content under semi-deep water irrigation than the other two varieties and thus showed worse breaking force and LI. In conclusion, the worse mechanical strength of the rice basal internode under semi-deep water irrigation was closely associated with weaker vascular bundle development and suppressed structural carbohydrate accumulation, and the decreasing degree of lodging resistance varied between rice varieties and semi-deep water irrigation periods.

Graphical Abstract

Reservoir immersion is a serious environmental geological issue in a dual-formation structural reservoir bank (DFB) induced by dynamic surface water impoundment (SWI) that has implications for low-lying farmland and buried infrastructure. It is a major challenge to identify the dynamic immersion process and make economic and scientific joint mitigation measures for controlling groundwater immersion. Here, we develop a three-dimensional groundwater flow model and apply it to evaluate and control reservoir immersion in the typical low-lying DFB of Xingan Navigation and Power Junction Project (XGNPJ) across Ganjiang River in Jiangxi Province, China. The field-scale model is well calibrated to predict where the groundwater immersion could potentially occur. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the countermeasures adopted for the reduction of reservoir immersion areas were analysed based on the simulation model by considering the projected future combination scenarios of engineering measures. Results indicate that without engineering mitigation measures, SWI generates groundwater inundation across 23% of the total study area. Comprehensive comparative analysis on different seepage control schemes reveals that the joint engineering measures can effectively control the immersion range to 5% of the total area. The findings can provide scientific basis for groundwater immersion assessment and guide immersion control of XGNPJ project. HIGHLIGHTS Hydrological analysis related to the groundwater-surface water interactions.; Impacts of groundwater depth on reservior immersion.; Establishing a FEFLOW model for regional groundwater assessment and identification of the dynamic immersion process.; Implementation of model assessment for controlling groundwater immersion.; The joint engineering measures can effectively control the immersion range.;

AbstractAnalytical studies on the tidal wave propagation in a coastal leaky aquifer commonly assume that the low-permeability aquitard is homogeneous. The aquitard is, however, vertically heterogeneous in nature due to varying soil types along the burial depth as can be frequently seen from borehole logs. In this study, an innovative analytical model is developed to explore the vertical heterogeneity in aquitard hydraulic conductivity (K) and specific storage (Ss) on the tidal wave propagation coupling with vertical leakage from the aquitard. The novelty behind the newly derived analytical solution is attributed to the fact that the aquitard along the burial depth can be divided into any number of homogeneous zones, each of which is associated with distinct K and Ss values, so that arbitrary vertical heterogeneity pattern of aquitard K and Ss can be captured. Theoretical analysis results reveal that an interlayer within the aquitard with a smaller K can significantly enhance the amplitude and phase shift of periodic groundwater head fluctuations in the leaky aquifer, while a larger Ss of the interlayer will weaken the amplitude and phase shift provided a relatively small aquitard K. Buried locations of the interlayer also implement nonnegligible effects on the tidal wave propagation. For the scenario of exponentially decaying aquitard K and Ss, which is commonly encountered for a thick aquitard, a larger decay exponent results in smaller amplitude and phase shift. This analytical study highlights the importance of vertical aquitard heterogeneity on tidal wave propagation in a coastal leaky aquifer system.

Understanding solute transport through macroscopic interfaces is essential to understand the effects of geological heterogeneity on contaminant transport in porous media. Studies of solute transport in compartmental porous media have noted the asymmetry of breakthroughs (BTCs) in solute movement across material interfaces, indicating the presence of discontinuous concentration that makes solute transport directionally dependent. Transition interfaces are more common in nature than sharp interfaces. To understand solute transport across transition interfaces, well-controlled laboratory experiments were performed. A numerical model was also built to understand mass accumulation and concentration discontinuity through transition as well as sharp interfaces. We conclude that directionally dependent asymmetry of BTCs was found with both sharp and transition interfaces. The asymmetry of BTCs was more pronounced at a transition interface than at a sharp interface. The mobile and immobile (MIM) model can better capture the directionally dependent transport of solutes through a sharp/transition interface than the advection-dispersion equation (ADE). The mobile water partition coefficient (β) and mass transfer coefficient (ω) in MIM were lager in the direction from fine sand to coarse sand (F-C). The time difference between tracer replace and tracer input is greater in the presence of an interface, especially transition interfaces. Even at small Reynolds numbers (1 × 10−4 to 0.116), solute transport across a discontinuous interface under reversible flow directions is most likely dominated by convective dispersion rather than an assumed diffusion process.

Abstract Traffic Signal Control (TSC) is a fundamental task in modern intelligent transport systems. TSC is often formulated as a bi‐level optimization problem, comprised by the signal timing at the upper level and the Dynamic User Equilibrium (DUE) traffic assignment at the lower level. Since DUE is non‐convex, existing methods either formulate approximation models or adopt traffic simulators. However, approximation models may oversimplify the practical situations, while traffic simulators are usually time‐consuming. This paper formulates a vehicle‐based DUE (vDUE) model and proposes an agile method that can simultaneously maintain the computational simplicity and the traffic dynamics for the traffic assignment. Further, an agile TSC system is built by combining the vDUE at the lower level for the traffic assignment with an adaptive differential evolution algorithm at the upper level for the signal timing optimization. To enhance the effectiveness of optimization, the TSC problem formulation is also improved to make it better characterize the practical requirements. In the experiments undertaken, comparisons of different TSC methods are carried out on both real‐world and synthetic transportation networks. The experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed agile TSC system in various traffic situations.

Aquifer hydraulic parameters play a critical role in investigating various groundwater hydrology problems (e.g., groundwater depletion and groundwater transport), and the Theis formula for constant-rate pumping tests is commonly used to estimate them. However, the pumping rate in the field usually varies with time due to some factors, making the classical constant-rate model unsuitable for accurate parameter estimation. To address this issue, we developed a novel dimensionless-form analytical solution for variable-rate pumping tests involving piecewise-constant approximations for variable pumping rates. Analysis of the time–drawdown curves revealed that the first-step type curve was consistent with the Theis curve. However, the curves of subsequent steps deviated from the Theis curve and were associated with the first dimensionless inflection time (t1,D), which depended on the hydraulic conductivity (K) and specific storage (Ss) of the confined aquifers. On this basis, a new type curve method for estimating the aquifer K and Ss was proposed by matching the observed drawdown data with a series of type curves dependent on t1,D. Furthermore, this method can handle recovery drawdown data. We applied this method to a field site in Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, China, by analyzing the drawdown data from four pumping tests. The hydraulic parameters estimated using this method were in close agreement with those calibrated via PEST. The calibrated K values were further validated by comparing them with lithology-based results. In summary, the geometric means of K and Ss were 6.62 m/d and 3.16 × 10−5 m−1 for the first confined aquifer and 0.92 m/d and 2.34 × 10−4 m−1 for the second confined aquifer.

Abstract Background Coblation is a novel technique in respect of treating idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia. We aimed to identify the efficacy and complications between radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) and coblation for V2/V3 idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (ITN) and investigate the risk factors associated with postoperative facial numbness. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our cohort of 292 patients who had undergone RFT or coblation for V2/V3 ITN. The characteristics of the baseline were collected before surgery. Pain scores, the degree of facial numbness and other complications were evaluated at discharge and 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after surgery. Results Postoperative pain intensity was apparently alleviated in both groups. The initial and 12-months remission rates were 94.0 and 75.3% in coblation group compared with 96.9 and 78.4% in RFT group (P = 0.462, P = 0.585). The degree of postoperative facial numbness tended to be more severe in RFT group at discharge, 1 month, 6 months and 12 months (P = 0.006, P = 0.026, P = 0.004, P = 0.003). Factors significantly associated with more severe facial numbness were procedure of RFT (OR = 0.46, 95%CI: 0.28–0.76, P = 0.002), history of previous RFT at the affected side (OR = 2.33, 95%CI: 1.21–4.48, P = 0.011), and ITN with concomitant continuous pain (OR = 0.36, 95%CI: 0.18–0.71, P = 0.004). Conclusion Coblation could reduce the degree of postoperative facial numbness for ITN, and the efficacy was no less effective than RFT. History of previous RFT at the affected side, procedure of RFT, ITN with concomitant continuous pain was identified as significant factors of the development of postoperative facial numbness.

Abstract Background Intravenous opioids are administered for the management of visceral pain after laparoscopic surgery. Whether oxycodone has advantages over other opioids in the treatment of visceral pain is not yet clear. Methods In this study, the analgesic efficiency and adverse events of oxycodone and other opioids, including alfentanil, sufentanil, fentanyl, and morphine, in treating post-laparoscopic surgery visceral pain were evaluated. This review was conducted according to the methodological standards described in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis statement. The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched in December 2019. Results Ten studies were included in this review. The sample size was 695 participants. The results showed that compared with morphine and fentanyl, oxycodone had a more potent analgesic efficacy on the first day after laparoscopic surgery, especially during the first 0.5 h. There was no significant difference in sedation between the two groups. Compared to morphine and fentanyl, oxycodone was more likely to lead to dizziness and drowsiness. Overall, patient satisfaction did not differ significantly between oxycodone and other opioids. Conclusions Oxycodone is superior to other analgesics within 24 h after laparoscopic surgery, but its adverse effects should be carefully considered.

AimThe aim of this study was to develop a nomogram based on early clinical features and treatment options for predicting in-hospital mortality in infective endocarditis (IE).MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the data of 294 patients diagnosed with IE in our hospital from June 01, 2012 to November 24, 2021, determined independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis, and established a Nomogram prediction model based on these factors. Finally, the prediction performance of nomogram is evaluated by C-index, bootstrapped-concordance index, and calibration plots.ResultsAge, abnormal leukocyte count, left-sided IE, right-sided IE, and no surgical treatment were independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients with IE, and we used these independent risk factors to construct a nomogram prediction model to predict in-hospital mortality in IE. The C-index of the model was 0.878 (95% CI: 0.824–0.931), and the internal validation of the model by bootstrap validation method showed a prediction accuracy of 0.852 and a bootstrapped-concordance index of 0.53.ConclusionOur nomogram can accurately predict in-hospital mortality in IE patients and can be used for early identification of high-risk IE patients.

Previous studies have mainly focused on cadmium (Cd) contamination in conventional rice monocultures, and no research on rice-crayfish coculture has been reported. In this study, a Cd-contaminated (0–30 mg kg−1) rice-crayfish co-culture system was established by adding exogenous Cd. The results showed that the Cd concentration in each tissue of rice and each organ of crayfish increased with increasing soil Cd concentration. Specifically, the Cd concentration in each rice tissue was as follows: root > stem > leaf ≈ panicle > grain > brown rice, and the jointing and heading stages were critical periods for the rapid enrichment of Cd in the aboveground tissues of rice. The Cd concentration in each organ of crayfish was as follows: hepatopancreas > gut > gill ≈ exoskeleton > abdominal muscle. Cd was gradually enriched in the abdominal muscle after 30 days of coculture between crayfish and rice. Pearson’s correlation analysis showed that the soil’s total Cd concentration, available Cd concentration, and water Cd concentration were positively correlated with Cd content in various tissues of rice and various organs of crayfish, whereas EC and TDS in water were markedly related to rice stems, leaves, stalks, and small crayfish. According to the maximum limit of Cd in grain (0.2 mg kg−1) and crustacean aquatic products (0.5 mg kg−1) in China, the safe threshold of soil Cd for rice and crayfish under the rice-crayfish coculture system is 3.67 and 14.62 mg kg−1, respectively. Therefore, when the soil Cd concentration in the rice-crayfish coculture system exceeds 3.67 mg kg−1, the safety risk to humans through the consumption of food from this coculture system will increase. This study provides a theoretical basis for safe food production in a rice-crayfish coculture system using the established Cd pollution model.

The rice–crayfish continuous production system developed rapidly due to its high economic benefits and eco-friendly nature in China. This study explored the effects of mechanically transplanted methods and planting geometry on the relationship between rice yield and canopy structure, under rice-crayfish rotation using excellent-quality indica rice, and carried out in 2018 and 2019. Three mechanical transplantation methods were set as follows: carpet seedlings mechanically transplanted with 30 cm equal row spacing (CMTE), pot seedlings mechanically transplanted with narrow row spacing with alternating 23 cm/33 cm wide row spacing (PMTWN), and equal row spacing at 28 cm (PMTE). Different plant spacings (CMTE1-CMTE6, PMTWN1-PMTWN6, PMTE3, and PMTE4) were set in accordance with different mechanical transplanting methods. CMTE and PMTWN both included six transplanting densities, while PMTE included 2 transplanting densities. Results showed that rice yield was improved by 2.87–6.59% under PMTWN when compared to CMTE, which was mainly due to the increase in spikelets per panicle and filled-grain percentage. Dry matter accumulation was increased and larger leaf area indexes were observed under PMTWN than CMTE at the rice main growth stage. Yield of CMTE and PMTWN treatments increased at first and then declined with decreased planting density. Under suitable planting density, PMTWN could optimize rice population structure and increase rice yield compared with PMTE. For tested rice variety, pot seedlings were mechanically transplanted alternating alternating 23 cm/33 cm wide row spacing, combined with a plant spacing of 16.8 cm, was proper for its yield improvement under rice-crayfish rotation.

This paper proposes a heuristic multi-parameter optimization method for image and video reconstruction. The method is embedded in an evolutionary computation framework in which a set of parameters are encoded into chromosomes of an individual, and a generalized Stein's unbiased risk estimation (GSURE) is employed as a fitness function. By using the proposed method, the near-optimal parameters can be determined after several iterations, and with the use of these parameters, the ideal image can then be reconstructed. Furthermore, this method can be extended to video reconstruction. According to the similarity between adjacent frames of a video, the generation of population is vividly replaced by the frame index. We calculate the fitness based on the current frame, breed a new generation selectively, and use the new population to optimize continually based on the next frame. After several frames, the parameters can be optimized, and an ideal reconstructed frame can then be steadily output. Numerous experiments demonstrate the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed method.

The intriguing opportunities enabled by the use of living components in biological machines have spurred the development of a variety of muscle‐powered biohybrid robots in recent years. Among them, several generations of tissue‐engineered biohybrid walkers have been established as reliable platforms to study untethered locomotion. However, despite these advances, such technology is not mature yet, and major challenges remain. Herein, steps are taken to address two of them: the lack of systematic design approaches, common to biohybrid robotics in general, and in the case of biohybrid walkers specifically, the lack of maneuverability. A dual‐ring biobot is presented which is computationally designed and selected to exhibit robust forward motion and rotational steering. This dual‐ring biobot consists of two independent muscle actuators and a four‐legged scaffold asymmetric in the fore/aft direction. The integration of multiple muscles within its body architecture, combined with differential electrical stimulation, allows the robot to maneuver. The dual‐ring robot design is then fabricated and experimentally tested, confirming computational predictions and turning abilities. Overall, a design approach based on modeling, simulation, and fabrication exemplified in this versatile robot represents a route to efficiently engineer complex biological machines with adaptive functionalities.

In this study, four homogeneous porous media (HPM1-HPM4), consisting of distinct proportions of sand-sized and clay-sized solid beads, were prepared and used as single fracture infills. Flow and nonreactive solute transport experiments in HPM1-HPM4 under three flow rates were conducted, and the measured breakthrough curves (BTCs) were quantified using conventional advection-dispersion equation (ADE), mobile-immobile model (MIM), and continuous time random walk (CTRW) model with truncated power law transition time distribution. The measured BTCs showed stronger non-Fickian behaviour in HPM2-HPM4 (which had clay) than in HPM1 (which had no clay), implying that clay enhanced the non-Fickian transport. As the fraction of clay increased, the global error of ADE fits also increased, affirming the inefficiency of ADE in capturing the clay-induced non-Fickian behaviour. MIM and CTRW performed better in capturing the non-Fickian behaviour. Nonetheless, CTRW’s performance was robust. 12.5% and 25% of clay in HPM2 and HPM3, respectively, decreased the flowing fluid region and increased the solute exchange rate between the flowing and stagnant fluid regions in MIM. For CTRW, the power law exponent (βCTRW) values were 1.96, 1.75, and 1.63 in HPM1-HPM3, respectively, implying enhanced non-Fickian behaviour. However, for HPM4, whose clay fraction was 50%, the βCTRW value was 1.87, implying a deviation in the trend of non-Fickian enhancement with increasing clay fraction. This deviation indicated that non-Fickian behaviour enhancement depended on the fraction of clay present. Moreover, increasing flow rate enhanced the non-Fickian transport based on βCTRW.

Rice–crayfish rotation expanded rapidly in China, as it provides considerable profit and reduces pesticide application. This study investigated the impact of different mechanical transplanting methods and planting geometry on the yield and lodging resistance of an indica rice variety under a rice–crayfish rotation system in 2018 and 2019 in Hongze Lake district, using an excellent-quality variety Taoyouxiangzhan. Seedlings were mechanically transplanted using two mechanically transplanted carpet seedling (MTCS) with equal spacing (30 cm) at five spacings and mechanically transplanted pot seedling (MTPS) with wide and narrow rows (23 cm + 33 cm) at five spacings. The yield of MTPS was 8.3% higher across 2 years under the most optimum density than MTCS using the same density, mainly due to a significantly increased number of spikelets per panicle. Accompanied by the decrease in planting density, rice yield first increased and then decreased under each mechanically transplanting method, and reached the maximum in the A4 and B4 treatments (63.9 × 104 seedlings ha−1), respectively. Compared with MTCS, MTPS significantly increased the fresh weight of single stem, plant height, gravity center height, ear weight, length and area of the upper three leaves, so as to increase the bending moment at basal internodes by whole plant (WP), while it also increased the stem diameter, wall thickness and stem and leaf sheath dry weight per unit length of the second internode at the base, resulting in a significant increase in the force applied to break the base segment (F) and the bending moment of whole plant (M). The higher increase percentage in M than WP led to a decreased lodging index. The lodging index of both mechanically transplanting methods reduced with declined planting density in virtue of the improved breaking load of the basal internode, and it was primarily a result of increased stem diameter, wall thickness and plumpness of basal internode. The balance between the high yield and lodging resistance of Taoyouxiangzhan under a rice–crayfish rotation system can be realized at 63.9 × 104 seedlings ha−1, with MTCS at 15.7 cm plant spacing and MTPS at 16.8 cm. Generally, MTPS showed obvious advantages in yield and lodging resistance than MTCS.

Laplacian Biogeography-Based Optimization (LxBBO) is a BBO variant which improves BBO’s performance largely. When it solves some complex problems, however, it has some drawbacks such as poor performance, weak operability, and high complexity, so an improved LxBBO (ILxBBO) is proposed. First, a two-global-best guiding operator is created for guiding the worst habitat mainly to enhance the exploitation of LxBBO. Second, a dynamic two-differential perturbing operator is proposed for the first two best habitats’ updating to improve the global search ability in the early search phase and the local one in the late search one, respectively. Third, an improved Laplace migration operator is formulated for other habitats’ updating to improve the search ability and the operability. Finally, some measures such as example learning, mutation operation removing, and greedy selection are adopted mostly to reduce the computation complexity of LxBBO. A lot of experimental results on the complex functions from the CEC-2013 test set show ILxBBO obtains better performance than LxBBO and quite a few state-of-the-art algorithms do. Also, the results on Quadratic Assignment Problems (QAPs) show that ILxBBO is more competitive compared with LxBBO, Improved Particle Swarm Optimization (IPSO), and Improved Firefly Algorithm (IFA).

Rice–crayfish continuous production system offers high economic and ecology benefits, which developed rapidly in China. To investigate the effects of different mechanical transplanting methods and planting densities on rice yield and quality, Nanjing 2728 was used to determine rice growth performance under mechanically transplanted carpet seedling (MTCS) with equal row spacing (30 cm) at five spacings and mechanically transplanted pot seedling (MTPS) with wide and narrow rows (23 + 33 cm) at five spacings. The results showed that MTPS presented significantly higher rice yields than MTCS as more spikelets per panicle. Rice yields of both mechanical transplanting methods first increased and then reduced with decreasing planting density, and its highest value was obtained at 77.9 × 104 seedlings ha−1. Compared with MTCS at the same stage, rice tiller dynamics of MTPS first increased and then decreased. Additionally, its dry matter accumulation per stem at jointing, heading, and maturity stages, leaf area index, photosynthetic potential, crop growth rate, and net assimilation rate were all significantly higher relative to MTCS. For each mechanical transplanting method, dry matter accumulation per panicle, leaf area index, photosynthetic potential, crop growth rate, and net assimilation rate from the sowing to jointing stages declined with decreasing planting density, while dry matter accumulation per stem and net assimilation rate from the heading to maturity stages increased. Compared with MTCS, MTPS significantly improved rice milling and appearance quality, decreasing density was also beneficial to rice milling and appearance quality, while grain content of amylose and protein were not sensitive to both transplanting method and planting density. Consequently, MTPS with 13.8 cm plant spacing is a suitable mechanical transplanting method for Nanjing 2728 to obtain better yield and quality under rice–crayfish continuous production system.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

As mass transport mechanisms, the spreading and mixing (dilution) processes of miscible contaminated compounds are fundamental to understanding reactive transport behaviors and transverse dispersion. In this study, the spreading and dilution processes of a miscible contaminated compound in a three-dimensional self-affine rough fracture were simulated with the coupled lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). Moment analysis and the Shannon entropy (dilution index) were employed to analyze the spreading and mixing processes, respectively. The corresponding results showed that the spreading process was anisotropic due to the heterogeneous aperture distribution. A compound was transported faster in a large aperture region than in a small aperture region due to the occurrence of preferential flow. Both the spreading and mixing processes were highly dependent on the fluid flow velocity and molecular diffusion. The calculated results of the dilution index showed that increasing the fluid flow velocity and molecular diffusion coefficient led to a higher increasing rate of the dilution index.

This pore-scale modeling study in single self-affine fractures showed that the heterogeneous flow field had a significant influence on the mixing-induced reaction transport. We generated the single self-affine fracture by the successive random additions (SRA) technique. The pore-scale model was developed by coupling the Navier-Stoke equation (NSE) and advection-diffusion equation with reaction (ADER). Eddies were captured in the self-affine fracture due to the increasing Reynolds number and the sudden expansion of aperture. The flux-weighted breakthrough curves (BTCs) of reaction product showed the typical non-Fickian characteristics (i.e., “early arrival” and “heavy tail”). It was found that the reactant was involved in eddies and then reacted inside the eddy-controlled domain. Consequently, eddies played a significant role in delaying the mass exchange process between the eddy-controlled domain and the main flow channel, which resulted in the “heavy tail” in BTCs. As the Reynolds number increased, the breakthrough time increased while the concentration peaks of BTCs decreased. Furthermore, the dilution index presenting the exponential of the Shannon entropy of a concentration probability distribution was used to quantify the degree of reactant mixing. The results showed that the quantification of dilution for nonreaction transport was in good agreement with the outcomes of mixing-induced reaction transport. The high Reynolds number and Peclet number had a negative influence on the mixing process at the early time whereas they led to the enhanced mixing process at the late time.

In this study, the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) was used to simulate the solute transport in a single rough fracture. The self-affine rough fracture wall was generated with the successive random addition method. The ability of the developed LBM to simulate the solute transport was validated by Taylor dispersion. The effect of fluid velocity on the solute transport in a single rough fracture was investigated using the LBM. The breakthrough curves (BTCs) for continuous injection sources in rough fractures were analyzed and discussed with different Reynolds numbers (Re). The results show that the rough fracture wall leads to a large fluid velocity gradient across the aperture. Consequently, there is a broad distribution of the immobile region along the rough fracture wall. This distribution of the immobile region is very sensitive to the Re and fracture geometry, and the immobile region is enlarged with the increase of Re and roughness. The concentration of the solute front in the mobile region increases with the Re. Furthermore, the Re and roughness have significant effects on BTCs, and the slow solute molecule exchange between the mobile and immobile regions results in a long breakthrough tail for the rough fracture. This study also demonstrates that the developed LBM can be effective in studying the solute transport in a rough fracture.

The cementation of porous media leads to the variation of the pore space and heterogeneity of the porous media. In this study, four porous media (PM1, PM2, PM3, and PM4) with the different radii of solid grains were generated to represent the different cementation degrees of the porous media. The direct simulations of flow and conservative solute transport in PM1−4 were conducted to investigate the influence of the cemented porous media and Peclet number (Pe) on the temporal mixing behavior. Two metrics, scalar dissipation rates (SDR) and dilution index, were employed to quantify the temporal mixing behavior. It was found that the spatial velocity variability of the flow field was enhanced as cementation degree increased. The results of the coefficient of velocity variation ( C V U ) increased from 0.943 to 2.319 for PM1−4. A network consisted of several preferential flow paths was observed in PM1−4. The preferential flow enhanced the mixing of the conservative solute but had a negative influence on the mixing of the solute plume when the cemented solid grains formed several groups, and there were some stagnant regions where the flow was almost immobile. As the Pe increased, for PM1−3, the exponent of the best-fitting power law of the global SDR decreased. At the case of Pe = 400, the slope of the global SDR reduced to around −1.9. In PM4 where the preferential flow was enhanced by the cemented solid grains, the slope of the global SDR increased as the Pe increased. The global SDR results indicated that the temporal mixing behavior followed a Fickian scaling ( S D R ∝ p v − 1.5 ) in the early stage (Pv < 0.05), while the mixing behavior turned to be non-Fickian in the late stage. The transition time from the Fickian scaling to the non-Fickian scaling was found to be sensitive to the cementation degree of the porous media.

In this paper, the accuracy of estimating stained non-wetting phase saturation using digital image processing is examined, and a novel post-processing approach for calculating threshold is presented. In order to remove the effect of the background noise of images and to enhance the high-frequency component of the original image, image smoothing and image sharpening methods are introduced. Depending on the correct threshold, the image binarization processing is particularly useful for estimating stained non-wetting phase saturation. Calculated saturation data are compared with the measured saturation data during the two-phase flow experiment in an artificial steel planar porous media model. The results show that the calculated saturation data agree with the measured ones. With the help of an artificial steel planar porous media model, digital image processing is an accurate and simple method for obtaining the stained non-wetting phase saturation.

BackgroundVarious studies have modeled the impact of test-and-treat policies on the HIV epidemics worldwide. However, few modeling studies have taken into account China's context. To understand the potential effect of test-and-treat on the HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China, we developed a mathematical model to evaluate the impact of the strategy.MethodBased on the natural history of the CD4 count of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA), we constructed a dynamic compartmental model of HIV transmission among Chinese MSM to project the number of HIV new infections and prevalence over 10 years. We predicted the annual number of HIV new infections and the total number of MSM living with HIV and AIDS (based on Beijing data) between 2010 and 2022 under the following conditions: (1) current practice (testing rate of 50% and ART coverage of 39%); (2) both testing rate and ART coverage increasing to 70% in 2013; (3) both testing rate and ART coverage increasing to 90% in 2013; and (4) both testing rate and ART coverage increasing gradually every year until 90% since 2013.ResultsBased on our model, if the HIV test-and-treat policy was implemented among Chinese MSM, the total number of HIV new infections over 10 years (2013-2022) would be reduced by 50.6-70.9% compared with the current policy. When ART coverage for PLWHA increased to 58% since 2013, the 'turning point' would occur on the curve of HIV new infections by 2015. A 25% reduction in annual number of HIV new infections by 2015 might be achieved if the testing rate increased from 50% to 70% and treatment coverage for PLWHA increased to 55% since 2013.ConclusionImplementation of the test-and-treat strategy may significantly reduce HIV new infections among MSM in China. Great efforts need to be made to scale up HIV testing rate and ART coverage among Chinese MSM.

Field evidence indicates that cavities often occur in fractured rocks, especially in a Karst region. Once the immiscible liquid flows into the cavity, the cavity has the immiscible liquid entrapped and results in a low recovery ratio. In this paper, the immiscible liquid transport in cavity-fractures was simulated by Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM). The interfacial and surface tensions were incorporated by Multicomponent Shan-Chen (MCSC) model. Three various fracture positions were generated to investigate the influence on the irreducible nonwetting phase saturation and displacement time. The influences of fracture aperture and wettability on the immiscible liquid transport were discussed and analyzed. It was found that the cavity resulted in a long displacement time. Increasing the fracture aperture with the corresponding decrease in displacement pressure led to the long displacement time. This consequently decreased the irreducible nonwetting phase saturation. The fracture positions had a significant effect on the displacement time and irreducible saturation. The distribution of the irreducible nonwetting phase was strongly dependent on wettability and fracture position. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that the LBM was very effective in simulating the immiscible two-phase flow in the cavity-fracture.

OBJECTIVES: To assess HIV incidence and its associated risk factors among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in urban areas, China. DESIGN: The study used a prospective cohort study design and standard diagnostic tests. METHODS: A twelve-month prospective cohort study was conducted among YMSM (18-25 years old) in 8 large cities in China. The participants were recruited via snowball sampling. A total of 1102 HIV-negative YMSM completed baseline assessment, 878 YMSM participants completed 6-month follow-up, and 902 completed 12-month follow-up. HIV was screened by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and confirmed with Western Blot. Syphilis was screened via rapid plasma reagent and confirmed by treponema pallidum particle agglutination assay. RESULTS: 78 HIV seroconversions were identified within 1168.4 person-year observations yielding an incidence rate of 6.7 per 100 person-years. HIV seroconversion was associated with non-student status (RR = 2.61, 90% CI = 1.3-5.26), low HIV transmission knowledge (RR = 8.87, 90% CI = 2.16-36.43), and syphilis infection (RR = 5.04, 90% CI = 2.57-9.90). CONCLUSIONS: Incidence of HIV among YMSM is high in urban areas of China. Interventions measures are required to contain the HIV epidemic within this population.

Myokines and exosomes, originating from skeletal muscle, are shown to play a significant role in maintaining brain homeostasis. While exercise has been reported to promote muscle secretion, little is known about the effects of neuronal innervation and activity on the yield and molecular composition of biologically active molecules from muscle. As neuromuscular diseases and disabilities associated with denervation impact muscle metabolism, we hypothesize that neuronal innervation and firing may play a pivotal role in regulating secretion activities of skeletal muscles. We examined this hypothesis using an engineered neuromuscular tissue model consisting of skeletal muscles innervated by motor neurons. The innervated muscles displayed elevated expression of mRNAs encoding neurotrophic myokines, such as interleukin-6, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and FDNC5, as well as the mRNA of peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α, a key regulator of muscle metabolism. Upon glutamate stimulation, the innervated muscles secreted higher levels of irisin and exosomes containing more diverse neurotrophic microRNAs than neuron-free muscles. Consequently, biological factors secreted by innervated muscles enhanced branching, axonal transport, and, ultimately, spontaneous network activities of primary hippocampal neurons in vitro. Overall, these results reveal the importance of neuronal innervation in modulating muscle-derived factors that promote neuronal function and suggest that the engineered neuromuscular tissue model holds significant promise as a platform for producing neurotrophic molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]