Higher education and research in Ethiopia is going through a decisive phase of reform and expansion. As a system it is increasingly required to respond and gear adequately to the development needs of the society and t...Higher education and research in Ethiopia is going through a decisive phase of reform and expansion. As a system it is increasingly required to respond and gear adequately to the development needs of the society and the country. This change is taking place through a government-led radical review of the system’s status and challenges, and by devising mechanisms of consensus building, as well as ownership and overcoming the resistance to change. Higher education and research institutions of Bahir Dar and Gondar Universities and ARARI, in Ethiopia are not satisfactorily responsive to rural transformation in addressing problems of small-scale farmers. This calls for responsive education and research that addresses farmers’ constraints. Thus, to survey the suitability/appropriateness of the current training programmes of higher education and research institutions to address the actual problems of farmers is of paramount importance. To this effect, tools such as interview guide, checklist and questionnaires were put to use for data collection. Primary data was collected from observation, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Descriptive statistics for quantitative data and triangulation for qualitative data were the prime techniques for data analysis. The result of the study shows that university heads, instructors, students, research heads, researchers and employees rated the suggested mechanisms, namely “inviting speakers from industries and farming community”, “visiting guest lecturers” and “special entrepreneurial project”, as the top most important for ensuring training and research closely to the reality in the society of Amhara region in facilitating agricultural growth and rural transformation. Besides, employers and farmers responded that fresh graduates are deficient with relevant technical skills because of less emphasis on experiential learning on higher education. Therefore, the curriculum for the training should give much weight to incorporate these suggested mechanisms and the higher institutions curriculum should be arranged in such a way that the trainees could obtain appropriate technical know-how.展开更多
This integrative review aimed to investigate factors relating to end-of-life care of nurses. The review was conducted according to PICo (Participant, area of Interest, and Context). Keywords identified were: “nurse”...This integrative review aimed to investigate factors relating to end-of-life care of nurses. The review was conducted according to PICo (Participant, area of Interest, and Context). Keywords identified were: “nurse” AND “end-of-life care” (“dyingcare” OR “‘deathcare”, OR “near end stage of life care” OR “palliative care” OR “hospice care” OR “comfortable care in near death” OR “quality of dying patients care”), AND “nurses”. The database searched through PubMed, ProQuest, Google Scholar, Web of Science and SCOPUS. The searching inclusion criteria were limited to English and Chinese language studies about nurses’ end-of-life care from 2010 to 2019, yielding 258 English language articles and 2Chinese language articles. Results: A total of fifteen articles were selected based on inclusion criteria. Two subjects were obtained from the results that related to nurses’ care during the process of end of life: 1) Nurses’ demographic factors;and 2) Modifiable factors. Nurses’ demographic factors were age, years of work experience, level of education and experience of the death of a family member/friend. Modifiable factors included knowledge, attitude, confidence, relationship, environment and resources, communication, nursing activities, philosophy and culture of care, skills and training. These factors were explored in various areas and majority of the studies had been conducted in public government hospitals. Conclusion: The major power ability of care was observed in nurses who acted the significant part in caring for the terminally ill during the dying process. Caring for dying patients was related to many factors which could affect the fabric of nursing care at the end stage of life. The elements found in this review could lead to recommendations with implications for nursing practice so as to improve and enhance end-of-life care. Some factors could be considered like predictors affecting nursing practice for chronical ill patients in further research. In addition, nurses’ tranquility care in community hospitals should be more focused.展开更多
Aba Prefecture Company Name:Sichuan Xintong New Materials Co.Ltd. Address:Shuimo,Wenchuan Nature of Business:Private Project Name:Processing and Sale of Tourism Products Details:Producing and processing of Natural cry...Aba Prefecture Company Name:Sichuan Xintong New Materials Co.Ltd. Address:Shuimo,Wenchuan Nature of Business:Private Project Name:Processing and Sale of Tourism Products Details:Producing and processing of Natural crystal products,man-made gem and other展开更多
At the end of December 2023,the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs was successfully held.General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important address at the conference,in which he presented a compre...At the end of December 2023,the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs was successfully held.General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important address at the conference,in which he presented a comprehensive review of the historic achievements and valuable experience of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era.展开更多
This article, the purpose of which is to deal with some problems in studying and teaching English, is merely for the students of English to read, who have just entered the second year at a foreign languages institute....This article, the purpose of which is to deal with some problems in studying and teaching English, is merely for the students of English to read, who have just entered the second year at a foreign languages institute. When teaching the second-year students, I have often been asked this awkward question: "What do you think is the correct way to study English?" It took me quite a time to answer it. Now after many years of teaching I think I have some ideas on this subject.展开更多
Understory bryophytes play unique and disproportionately important roles in water retention,biogeochemical cycling,and biodiversity conservation,and serve as bioindicators of environmental health in forest ecosystems....Understory bryophytes play unique and disproportionately important roles in water retention,biogeochemical cycling,and biodiversity conservation,and serve as bioindicators of environmental health in forest ecosystems.However,biogeographical research on the biomass of forest bryophytes is inadequately studied and has been limited to elevational gradients.We conducted a systematic cross-regional survey of bryophyte biomass across 413 forest sites in Sichuan Province,China.We analyzed how each environmental variable,including climatic and atmospheric factors,overstory covers,and soil nutrients,relates to bryophyte biomass and quantified their relative contributions.The results indicate that,largely similar to previous local investigations and experiments,at a large scale,bryophytes are abundant in forests with lower temperature,nitrogen deposition,vapor pressure deficit,and tree and herb covers,as well as higher light availability.Moreover,bryophyte biomass is positively associated with soil carbon and nitrogen content.These environmental variables are closely related and jointly influence bryophyte biomass,with mean annual temperature being the most significant factor(accounting for 83%of the relative contribution).The biogeographical patterns of bryophyte biomass contribute to deepening our understanding of their adaptations to multiple environmental variables and enable us to predict their responses to global climate change.These patterns also provide essential evidence for establishing more accurate terrestrial vegetation ecosystem models.展开更多
Bread wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)is a staple hexaploid crop with numerous wild relatives.However,domestication and modern breeding have significantly narrowed its genetic diversity,diminishing its capacity to adapt to...Bread wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)is a staple hexaploid crop with numerous wild relatives.However,domestication and modern breeding have significantly narrowed its genetic diversity,diminishing its capacity to adapt to climate change.Wild relatives of wheat serve as a vital reservoir of genetic diversity,offering traits thatenhance its resistance to various biotic and abiotic stresses.Over recent decades,remarkable progress has been made in utilizing superior genes from wild relatives to bolster wheat's defenses against diseases and pests,though the exploration of genes conferring abiotic stress tolerance has lagged behind.In this review,we summarize key advancements in the utilization of wild relatives for wheat enhancement over the past century,emphasizing both theoretical and technological innovations.Furthermore,we evaluate the potential contributions of wild relatives to address production challenges posed by climate change.We also explore strategies for isolating superior genes and developing prebreeding germplasm to support the future development of climate-resilient wheat varieties.展开更多
As a non-negligible component of functional trait diversity,intraspecific trait variation(ITV)represents a direct response of local populations to environmental change and significantly influences ecological processes...As a non-negligible component of functional trait diversity,intraspecific trait variation(ITV)represents a direct response of local populations to environmental change and significantly influences ecological processes such as species dispersal,community assembly,and ecosystem functioning.Although extensively studied in vascular plants,ITV remains underexplored in mosses,which possess fundamentally distinct evolutionary status,structures,and adaptive strategies.In this study,we sampled two common subtropical terricolous and saxicolous moss species(Hyophila propagulifera and Pogonatum inflexum)from 66 coastal islands(spanning a latitudinal range of 23.4–30.9°N)in southeastern China,measured their morphological and anatomical traits and water holding and retention capacities,identified the effects of latitude and environmental factors on each trait,and calculated the relative contributions.For both species,the trait with the highest variation was shoot mass,whereas the shapes of the stem transverse section,leaf,and leaf cells were relatively conserved.In H.propagulifera,stem size and internal transport capacity increased along a latitudinal gradient,however,the water holding and retention capacities were not associated with any of the studied environmental factors.In P.inflexum,lamella length was negatively correlated with precipitation,whereas no clear ITV patterns were observed in other traits,probably because of Polytrichaceae’s unique characteristics and the more stable microclimates of soil substrates compared with rock.This work expands our understanding of the adaptive evolutionary strategies of poikilohydric plants and bridges knowledge gaps in their conservation from the perspective of functional adaptation.We suggest that future studies focus on the impacts of climatic events on mosses and combine functional traits with community structure surveys to accurately quantify their ecosystem functioning and services.展开更多
The relative dispersion of cloud and fog droplets has significant impacts on aerosol indirect effects,radiative transfer,and microphysical processes.However,previous studies have been mostly concerned with clouds,with...The relative dispersion of cloud and fog droplets has significant impacts on aerosol indirect effects,radiative transfer,and microphysical processes.However,previous studies have been mostly concerned with clouds,with limited studies on fog,particularly those that examine the combined influences of all key physical processes and their roles during fog evolution.As such,this study aims to conduct a comprehensive investigation by examining the relationships between relative dispersion and other microphysical variables,as well as the underlying microphysical and dynamic processes,based on field fog campaigns in polluted and clean conditions.In polluted fog,droplet concentrations are higher,leading to smaller droplets and increased dispersion.The correlation between dispersion and droplet volume-mean radius is positive in the polluted fog,but shifts to negative in clean fog.We attribute the difference to various microphysical processes like aerosol activation,condensation,collision-coalescence,and entrainment-mixing.In polluted fog,high aerosol concentrations,low supersaturations,and strong turbulence(entrainment-mixing)provide suitable conditions for the simultaneous occurrence of droplet condensation and aerosol activation,resulting in a positive correlation between dispersion and volume-mean radius,especially during the fog formation stage.In contrast,during the mature stage in clean fog,condensation is dominant with weak aerosol activation leading to a negative correlation between relative dispersion and volume-mean radius.The collision-coalescence process is more active in the mature stage,increasing radii and leading to the negative correlation between dispersion and volume-mean radius.This result sheds new light on understanding the relative dispersion and mechanisms in fog under different aerosol backgrounds.展开更多
Colorectal related diseases are generally benign and malignant diseases that occur within the colon,causing psychological disorders,nutrient absorption disorders,anemia,and life threatening conditions.The current trea...Colorectal related diseases are generally benign and malignant diseases that occur within the colon,causing psychological disorders,nutrient absorption disorders,anemia,and life threatening conditions.The current treatment strategies for colorectal related diseases have been seriously hampered by unpredictable behaviors,safety risks and limited efficacy.Recent advances in the fields of synthetic biology and materials fabrication have enabled the development of engineered organisms with great controllability,targeted delivery capabilities,and high safety and efficacy for their therapy.In this review,we firstanalyze the mechanisms underlying the occurrence and development of colorectal related disease.Subsequently,we delved into the latest developments in the application of engineered organisms in the treatment of colorectal diseases,covering the potential regulatory mechanisms,and the exploration of clinical feasibility.Finally,we discuss the key challenges and future perspectives of this biotherapeutic approach,with a focus on achieving precise targeted therapy through the engineering design of organisms.This review aims to provide the valuable insights into the development of precision therapies for colorectal related diseases,and lay the foundation for their clinical management.展开更多
The rise of intelligent manufacturing engineering has brought increased attention to acoustic sensors for precise perception and human-machine interaction.Recently,triboelectric nanogenerators(TENGs)have emerged as on...The rise of intelligent manufacturing engineering has brought increased attention to acoustic sensors for precise perception and human-machine interaction.Recently,triboelectric nanogenerators(TENGs)have emerged as one of the most promising technologies for developing self-powered acoustic sensors,owing to their wide range of material options,simple structure,flexibility,and cost-effectiveness.More importantly,the rapid saturation constitutive characteristics of contact-separation(C-S)mode TENGs offer high sensitivity and an excellent signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)for detecting micro-scale mechanical signals.This article provides an overview of TENG-based acoustic sensors developed over the past five years,focusing on working principles,comparisons with piezoelectric nanogenerators(PENGs),fabrication methods,core structures,sensing materials,and intelligent applications in both air and underwater environments.Furthermore,technical constraints and potential innovation pathways for triboelectric acoustic sensors are explored.Notably,we propose a practical figure of merit that integrates both displacement and transferred charges to synergistically evaluate the performance of triboelectric devices.With continued research in this area,triboelectric acoustic sensors are expected to gain increasing attention in the detection of micromechanical quantities with ultrahigh sensitivity,thereby advancing the development of intelligent manufacturing technologies.展开更多
The composition−property relationship of 18 quaternary high entropy diborides(HEBs)consisting of boron and IVB,VB and VIB transition metals(TM)was investigated using first-principles calculations.A valence electron co...The composition−property relationship of 18 quaternary high entropy diborides(HEBs)consisting of boron and IVB,VB and VIB transition metals(TM)was investigated using first-principles calculations.A valence electron concentration−relative electronegativity(VEC−REN)composite descriptor was developed to effectively predict the mechanical properties of HEBs.The results demonstrate that with a fixed VEC,the rise of the REN makes HEBs harder but more brittle when the electronegativity of doped TM atoms is lower than that of boron atoms.However,HEBs become softer and more ductile as REN increases if the doped TM atoms have higher electronegativity than boron atoms.The VEC−REN composite descriptor can accurately classify and predict the mechanical properties of HEBs with different components,which provides important theoretical guidance for the rapid design and development of novel high-entropy ceramic materials.展开更多
Wind load caused by the high-speed running train is the typical environmental factor for ballastless track supporting layer concrete.Herein,the effect of wind load on the internal relative humidity(IRH),volume stabili...Wind load caused by the high-speed running train is the typical environmental factor for ballastless track supporting layer concrete.Herein,the effect of wind load on the internal relative humidity(IRH),volume stability and mechanical properties of supporting layer concrete were investigated by a designed device to produce stable wind loads.Mercury intrusion porosimeter(MIP)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)were used to analyze the evolution of the microstructure and the morphology of hydration products.Results show that,under a wind velocity of 10 m/s,the IRH at a depth of 2 cm decreases to 35.9%within 10 days,leading to a 40.1%higher shrinkage compared to that under windless environment.Meanwhile,the volume of specific pores(200-10000 nm)is increased by 18.2%,which results in a 24.3%reduction in compressive strength and a weaker interfacial transfer zone(ITZ).Additionally,a model for IRH and internal restraint stress of supporting layer concrete under wind load was developed.This work can provide a reference for the design and maintenance of ballastless track supporting layer concrete.展开更多
Aging,mitochondria,and neurodegenerative diseases:Aging is often viewed as the buildup of changes that lead to the gradual transformations associated with getting older,along with a rising likelihood of disease and mo...Aging,mitochondria,and neurodegenerative diseases:Aging is often viewed as the buildup of changes that lead to the gradual transformations associated with getting older,along with a rising likelihood of disease and mortality.Although organis m-wide deterioration is observed during aging,organs with high metabolic demand,such as the brain,are more vulnerable.展开更多
The mechanism of technology relatedness affecting firm dynamics has been widely recognized.However,differences in the number and strength of links related to technology relatedness have been neglected.This study explo...The mechanism of technology relatedness affecting firm dynamics has been widely recognized.However,differences in the number and strength of links related to technology relatedness have been neglected.This study explores the complex relationship between industry relatedness and firm dynamics.It classifies the density of relatedness as related and unrelated variety and classifies the variety of relatedness as weak and strong links using firm data of 285 Chinese cities from 1999 to 2012.We constructed a fixed-effects model and a threshold-effect model to analyse the impact of the density and variety of relatedness on firm dynamics.We found that both the density and variety of relatedness play crucial roles in firm dynamics.Their positive and threshold effects on new firm entry and reduced exit can foster related industries and technology investments for regional economic transformation.The effect of industry relatedness on firm dynamics involves regional and industry heterogeneity.Our study provides valuable insights on how to formulate industrial development policies by promoting industry relatedness to make cities more innovative and sustainable.展开更多
To address the challenges and difficulties in predicting the relative permeability of reservoirs using traditional physics-driven and data-driven approaches,this paper proposes a collaborative analysis intelligent age...To address the challenges and difficulties in predicting the relative permeability of reservoirs using traditional physics-driven and data-driven approaches,this paper proposes a collaborative analysis intelligent agent for the relative permeability of oil and gas reservoirs based on a large model.By constructing a multiagent collaborative workflow,integrated collaboration of data,models,and analysis results is achieved.The intelligent agent automatically completes data preprocessing,feature extraction,parameter calibration,small model calling,and output and evaluation of prediction results based on preset task dependencies.At the same time,by introducing deep learning-based embedding of physical information,the analysis efficiency and accuracy are significantly improved.The results show that compared with traditional physical analysis methods,this method improves the accuracy of reservoir relative permeability prediction by 10%,has a computational efficiency 10 times higher than traditional deep learning algorithms,and a computational speed 100–1,000 times higher than conventional physical models.This study further enhances the efficiency and intelligence of physical property analysis of oil and gas reservoirs,providing a new research direction for the intelligent development of oil and gas digitization.展开更多
Background:Young ovarian cancer(OC)patients often experience a synergistic inter-play among tumor progression,estrogen deficiency,and depression,which severely compromises prognosis and quality of life.However,a precl...Background:Young ovarian cancer(OC)patients often experience a synergistic inter-play among tumor progression,estrogen deficiency,and depression,which severely compromises prognosis and quality of life.However,a preclinical model that faithfully recapitulates this triad remains lacking.This study aimed to develop and validate a novel mouse model to investigate the interrelationship between ovarian cancer,hy-poestrogenic states,and depression.Methods:An ovarian cancer–related depression(OCRD)model was established by integrating previously validated components of tumor-depression paradigms,includ-ing ID-8 ovarian cancer modeling and chronic restraint stress-induced depressive-like behavior.Orthotopic(intraperitoneal)and heterotopic(subcutaneous)tumor models were combined with chronic stress.Estrogen status was manipulated by ovary re-tention or ovariectomy(OVX),performed either 1 day before tumor implantation to model preexisting estrogen deficiency or 7 days after engraftment to mimic treatment-induced abrupt hormonal loss.Model validity was assessed using behavioral assays(sucrose preference test,tail suspension test,and open field test),neuroendocrine profiling,and longitudinal evaluation of tumor progression.Results:The model generated by intraperitoneal tumor engraftment,OVX,and chronic stress exhibited pronounced depressive-like behavior,accompanied by marked es-trogen depletion and accelerated tumor progression.All mice survived throughout the experimental period,indicating high model stability and reproducibility.This inte-grated phenotype closely mirrors key clinical features observed in young OC patients undergoing abrupt estrogen deprivation.Conclusions:The combination of intraperitoneal ovarian cancer modeling,ovariectomy,and chronic stress induction establishes a stable and clinically relevant preclinical model of hypoestrogenic ovarian cancer–related depression,suitable for translational research.展开更多
The stress-strain behavior of calcareous sand is significantly influencedby particle breakage(B)and initial relative density(Dri),but few constitutive models consider their combined effects.To bridge this gap,we condu...The stress-strain behavior of calcareous sand is significantly influencedby particle breakage(B)and initial relative density(Dri),but few constitutive models consider their combined effects.To bridge this gap,we conducted a series of triaxial tests on calcareous sand with varying Dri and stress paths,examining particle breakage and critical state behavior.Key findingsinclude:(1)At a constant stress ratio(η),B follows a hyperbolic relationship with mean effective stress(p'),and for a given p',B increases proportionally withη;(2)The critical state line(CSL)moves downward with increasing Dri,whereas the critical state friction angle(φcs)decreases with increasing B.Based on these findings,we propose a unifiedbreakage evolution model to quantify particle breakage in calcareous sand under various loading conditions.Integrating this model with the Normal Consolidation Line(NCL)and CSL equations,we successfully simulate the steepening of NCL and CSL slopes as B increases with the onset of particle breakage.Furthermore,we quantitatively evaluate the effect of B onφcs.Finally,within the framework of Critical State Soil Mechanics and Hypoplasticity theory,we develop a hypoplastic model incorporating B and Dri.The model is validated through strong agreement with experimental results across various initial relative densities,stress paths and drainage conditions.展开更多
1.Introduction。Aging is a systemic and progressive challenge of significant societal,medical,and scientific urgency.With global populations aging rapidly,age-related diseases,such as neurodegeneration and cardiovascu...1.Introduction。Aging is a systemic and progressive challenge of significant societal,medical,and scientific urgency.With global populations aging rapidly,age-related diseases,such as neurodegeneration and cardiovascular dysfunction,are accelerating,underscoring the urgent need to understand the mechanisms of aging and develop effective interventions.The trending organ-on-a-chip(OoC)technology offers a powerful solution by recapitulating organ-or tissue-level functions.However,the applications of OoC in aging research remain limited,since most current systems are confined to models that simulate endpoint phenotypes rather than the dynamic evolution of aging itself.展开更多
摘要Higher education and research in Ethiopia is going through a decisive phase of reform and expansion. As a system it is increasingly required to respond and gear adequately to the development needs of the society and the country. This change is taking place through a government-led radical review of the system’s status and challenges, and by devising mechanisms of consensus building, as well as ownership and overcoming the resistance to change. Higher education and research institutions of Bahir Dar and Gondar Universities and ARARI, in Ethiopia are not satisfactorily responsive to rural transformation in addressing problems of small-scale farmers. This calls for responsive education and research that addresses farmers’ constraints. Thus, to survey the suitability/appropriateness of the current training programmes of higher education and research institutions to address the actual problems of farmers is of paramount importance. To this effect, tools such as interview guide, checklist and questionnaires were put to use for data collection. Primary data was collected from observation, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Descriptive statistics for quantitative data and triangulation for qualitative data were the prime techniques for data analysis. The result of the study shows that university heads, instructors, students, research heads, researchers and employees rated the suggested mechanisms, namely “inviting speakers from industries and farming community”, “visiting guest lecturers” and “special entrepreneurial project”, as the top most important for ensuring training and research closely to the reality in the society of Amhara region in facilitating agricultural growth and rural transformation. Besides, employers and farmers responded that fresh graduates are deficient with relevant technical skills because of less emphasis on experiential learning on higher education. Therefore, the curriculum for the training should give much weight to incorporate these suggested mechanisms and the higher institutions curriculum should be arranged in such a way that the trainees could obtain appropriate technical know-how.
摘要This integrative review aimed to investigate factors relating to end-of-life care of nurses. The review was conducted according to PICo (Participant, area of Interest, and Context). Keywords identified were: “nurse” AND “end-of-life care” (“dyingcare” OR “‘deathcare”, OR “near end stage of life care” OR “palliative care” OR “hospice care” OR “comfortable care in near death” OR “quality of dying patients care”), AND “nurses”. The database searched through PubMed, ProQuest, Google Scholar, Web of Science and SCOPUS. The searching inclusion criteria were limited to English and Chinese language studies about nurses’ end-of-life care from 2010 to 2019, yielding 258 English language articles and 2Chinese language articles. Results: A total of fifteen articles were selected based on inclusion criteria. Two subjects were obtained from the results that related to nurses’ care during the process of end of life: 1) Nurses’ demographic factors;and 2) Modifiable factors. Nurses’ demographic factors were age, years of work experience, level of education and experience of the death of a family member/friend. Modifiable factors included knowledge, attitude, confidence, relationship, environment and resources, communication, nursing activities, philosophy and culture of care, skills and training. These factors were explored in various areas and majority of the studies had been conducted in public government hospitals. Conclusion: The major power ability of care was observed in nurses who acted the significant part in caring for the terminally ill during the dying process. Caring for dying patients was related to many factors which could affect the fabric of nursing care at the end stage of life. The elements found in this review could lead to recommendations with implications for nursing practice so as to improve and enhance end-of-life care. Some factors could be considered like predictors affecting nursing practice for chronical ill patients in further research. In addition, nurses’ tranquility care in community hospitals should be more focused.
摘要Aba Prefecture Company Name:Sichuan Xintong New Materials Co.Ltd. Address:Shuimo,Wenchuan Nature of Business:Private Project Name:Processing and Sale of Tourism Products Details:Producing and processing of Natural crystal products,man-made gem and other
摘要At the end of December 2023,the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs was successfully held.General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important address at the conference,in which he presented a comprehensive review of the historic achievements and valuable experience of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era.
摘要This article, the purpose of which is to deal with some problems in studying and teaching English, is merely for the students of English to read, who have just entered the second year at a foreign languages institute. When teaching the second-year students, I have often been asked this awkward question: "What do you think is the correct way to study English?" It took me quite a time to answer it. Now after many years of teaching I think I have some ideas on this subject.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31600316)the Sichuan Science and Technology Program(2023NSFSC0198)。
摘要Understory bryophytes play unique and disproportionately important roles in water retention,biogeochemical cycling,and biodiversity conservation,and serve as bioindicators of environmental health in forest ecosystems.However,biogeographical research on the biomass of forest bryophytes is inadequately studied and has been limited to elevational gradients.We conducted a systematic cross-regional survey of bryophyte biomass across 413 forest sites in Sichuan Province,China.We analyzed how each environmental variable,including climatic and atmospheric factors,overstory covers,and soil nutrients,relates to bryophyte biomass and quantified their relative contributions.The results indicate that,largely similar to previous local investigations and experiments,at a large scale,bryophytes are abundant in forests with lower temperature,nitrogen deposition,vapor pressure deficit,and tree and herb covers,as well as higher light availability.Moreover,bryophyte biomass is positively associated with soil carbon and nitrogen content.These environmental variables are closely related and jointly influence bryophyte biomass,with mean annual temperature being the most significant factor(accounting for 83%of the relative contribution).The biogeographical patterns of bryophyte biomass contribute to deepening our understanding of their adaptations to multiple environmental variables and enable us to predict their responses to global climate change.These patterns also provide essential evidence for establishing more accurate terrestrial vegetation ecosystem models.
基金supported by the Biological Breeding-National Science and Technology Major Project(2023ZD04071)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2023YFF1000600)and the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32272084,32372089,and 31971887).
摘要Bread wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)is a staple hexaploid crop with numerous wild relatives.However,domestication and modern breeding have significantly narrowed its genetic diversity,diminishing its capacity to adapt to climate change.Wild relatives of wheat serve as a vital reservoir of genetic diversity,offering traits thatenhance its resistance to various biotic and abiotic stresses.Over recent decades,remarkable progress has been made in utilizing superior genes from wild relatives to bolster wheat's defenses against diseases and pests,though the exploration of genes conferring abiotic stress tolerance has lagged behind.In this review,we summarize key advancements in the utilization of wild relatives for wheat enhancement over the past century,emphasizing both theoretical and technological innovations.Furthermore,we evaluate the potential contributions of wild relatives to address production challenges posed by climate change.We also explore strategies for isolating superior genes and developing prebreeding germplasm to support the future development of climate-resilient wheat varieties.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.31600316,32071643,31570208)the National Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai,China(21ZR1447400).
摘要As a non-negligible component of functional trait diversity,intraspecific trait variation(ITV)represents a direct response of local populations to environmental change and significantly influences ecological processes such as species dispersal,community assembly,and ecosystem functioning.Although extensively studied in vascular plants,ITV remains underexplored in mosses,which possess fundamentally distinct evolutionary status,structures,and adaptive strategies.In this study,we sampled two common subtropical terricolous and saxicolous moss species(Hyophila propagulifera and Pogonatum inflexum)from 66 coastal islands(spanning a latitudinal range of 23.4–30.9°N)in southeastern China,measured their morphological and anatomical traits and water holding and retention capacities,identified the effects of latitude and environmental factors on each trait,and calculated the relative contributions.For both species,the trait with the highest variation was shoot mass,whereas the shapes of the stem transverse section,leaf,and leaf cells were relatively conserved.In H.propagulifera,stem size and internal transport capacity increased along a latitudinal gradient,however,the water holding and retention capacities were not associated with any of the studied environmental factors.In P.inflexum,lamella length was negatively correlated with precipitation,whereas no clear ITV patterns were observed in other traits,probably because of Polytrichaceae’s unique characteristics and the more stable microclimates of soil substrates compared with rock.This work expands our understanding of the adaptive evolutionary strategies of poikilohydric plants and bridges knowledge gaps in their conservation from the perspective of functional adaptation.We suggest that future studies focus on the impacts of climatic events on mosses and combine functional traits with community structure surveys to accurately quantify their ecosystem functioning and services.
基金supported by the Chinese National Natural Science Foundation under Grant Nos.(41975181,42325503,42375197,42575207,42205090)Y.LIU is supported by the U.S.Department of Energy’s Atmospheric System Research(ASR)program.
摘要The relative dispersion of cloud and fog droplets has significant impacts on aerosol indirect effects,radiative transfer,and microphysical processes.However,previous studies have been mostly concerned with clouds,with limited studies on fog,particularly those that examine the combined influences of all key physical processes and their roles during fog evolution.As such,this study aims to conduct a comprehensive investigation by examining the relationships between relative dispersion and other microphysical variables,as well as the underlying microphysical and dynamic processes,based on field fog campaigns in polluted and clean conditions.In polluted fog,droplet concentrations are higher,leading to smaller droplets and increased dispersion.The correlation between dispersion and droplet volume-mean radius is positive in the polluted fog,but shifts to negative in clean fog.We attribute the difference to various microphysical processes like aerosol activation,condensation,collision-coalescence,and entrainment-mixing.In polluted fog,high aerosol concentrations,low supersaturations,and strong turbulence(entrainment-mixing)provide suitable conditions for the simultaneous occurrence of droplet condensation and aerosol activation,resulting in a positive correlation between dispersion and volume-mean radius,especially during the fog formation stage.In contrast,during the mature stage in clean fog,condensation is dominant with weak aerosol activation leading to a negative correlation between relative dispersion and volume-mean radius.The collision-coalescence process is more active in the mature stage,increasing radii and leading to the negative correlation between dispersion and volume-mean radius.This result sheds new light on understanding the relative dispersion and mechanisms in fog under different aerosol backgrounds.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82160902)Joint Project on Regional High-Incidence Diseases Research of Guangxi Natural Science Foundation(No.2024GXNSFAA010143)+4 种基金the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2024MD753921)the Clinical Research Climbing Program-Youth Science and Technology Star Project of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University(No.YYZS2023009)the First-class Discipline Innovation-driven Talent Program of Guangxi Medical Universitythe“Medical Excellence Award”Funded by the Creative Research Development Grant from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical Universitythe“Outstanding Medical Talents Cultivation Plan”of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University.
摘要Colorectal related diseases are generally benign and malignant diseases that occur within the colon,causing psychological disorders,nutrient absorption disorders,anemia,and life threatening conditions.The current treatment strategies for colorectal related diseases have been seriously hampered by unpredictable behaviors,safety risks and limited efficacy.Recent advances in the fields of synthetic biology and materials fabrication have enabled the development of engineered organisms with great controllability,targeted delivery capabilities,and high safety and efficacy for their therapy.In this review,we firstanalyze the mechanisms underlying the occurrence and development of colorectal related disease.Subsequently,we delved into the latest developments in the application of engineered organisms in the treatment of colorectal diseases,covering the potential regulatory mechanisms,and the exploration of clinical feasibility.Finally,we discuss the key challenges and future perspectives of this biotherapeutic approach,with a focus on achieving precise targeted therapy through the engineering design of organisms.This review aims to provide the valuable insights into the development of precision therapies for colorectal related diseases,and lay the foundation for their clinical management.
基金supported by the NSFC(T2422003,52302219)the National Key Research and Development Program(2021YFA1201602)Beijing Key Laboratory of High-Entropy Energy materials and Devices,Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems(No.GS2025MS014).
摘要The rise of intelligent manufacturing engineering has brought increased attention to acoustic sensors for precise perception and human-machine interaction.Recently,triboelectric nanogenerators(TENGs)have emerged as one of the most promising technologies for developing self-powered acoustic sensors,owing to their wide range of material options,simple structure,flexibility,and cost-effectiveness.More importantly,the rapid saturation constitutive characteristics of contact-separation(C-S)mode TENGs offer high sensitivity and an excellent signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)for detecting micro-scale mechanical signals.This article provides an overview of TENG-based acoustic sensors developed over the past five years,focusing on working principles,comparisons with piezoelectric nanogenerators(PENGs),fabrication methods,core structures,sensing materials,and intelligent applications in both air and underwater environments.Furthermore,technical constraints and potential innovation pathways for triboelectric acoustic sensors are explored.Notably,we propose a practical figure of merit that integrates both displacement and transferred charges to synergistically evaluate the performance of triboelectric devices.With continued research in this area,triboelectric acoustic sensors are expected to gain increasing attention in the detection of micromechanical quantities with ultrahigh sensitivity,thereby advancing the development of intelligent manufacturing technologies.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 52071179, 52271033)the Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51931003)+2 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (No. BK20221493)the Jiangsu Province Leading Edge Technology Basic Research Major Project, China (No. BK20222014)the Foundation of “Qinglan Project” for Colleges and Universities in Jiangsu Province, China。
摘要The composition−property relationship of 18 quaternary high entropy diborides(HEBs)consisting of boron and IVB,VB and VIB transition metals(TM)was investigated using first-principles calculations.A valence electron concentration−relative electronegativity(VEC−REN)composite descriptor was developed to effectively predict the mechanical properties of HEBs.The results demonstrate that with a fixed VEC,the rise of the REN makes HEBs harder but more brittle when the electronegativity of doped TM atoms is lower than that of boron atoms.However,HEBs become softer and more ductile as REN increases if the doped TM atoms have higher electronegativity than boron atoms.The VEC−REN composite descriptor can accurately classify and predict the mechanical properties of HEBs with different components,which provides important theoretical guidance for the rapid design and development of novel high-entropy ceramic materials.
基金Funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52178260 and 52208299)China Academy of Railway Science(No.2023YJ229)。
摘要Wind load caused by the high-speed running train is the typical environmental factor for ballastless track supporting layer concrete.Herein,the effect of wind load on the internal relative humidity(IRH),volume stability and mechanical properties of supporting layer concrete were investigated by a designed device to produce stable wind loads.Mercury intrusion porosimeter(MIP)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)were used to analyze the evolution of the microstructure and the morphology of hydration products.Results show that,under a wind velocity of 10 m/s,the IRH at a depth of 2 cm decreases to 35.9%within 10 days,leading to a 40.1%higher shrinkage compared to that under windless environment.Meanwhile,the volume of specific pores(200-10000 nm)is increased by 18.2%,which results in a 24.3%reduction in compressive strength and a weaker interfacial transfer zone(ITZ).Additionally,a model for IRH and internal restraint stress of supporting layer concrete under wind load was developed.This work can provide a reference for the design and maintenance of ballastless track supporting layer concrete.
摘要Aging,mitochondria,and neurodegenerative diseases:Aging is often viewed as the buildup of changes that lead to the gradual transformations associated with getting older,along with a rising likelihood of disease and mortality.Although organis m-wide deterioration is observed during aging,organs with high metabolic demand,such as the brain,are more vulnerable.
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42171186)。
摘要The mechanism of technology relatedness affecting firm dynamics has been widely recognized.However,differences in the number and strength of links related to technology relatedness have been neglected.This study explores the complex relationship between industry relatedness and firm dynamics.It classifies the density of relatedness as related and unrelated variety and classifies the variety of relatedness as weak and strong links using firm data of 285 Chinese cities from 1999 to 2012.We constructed a fixed-effects model and a threshold-effect model to analyse the impact of the density and variety of relatedness on firm dynamics.We found that both the density and variety of relatedness play crucial roles in firm dynamics.Their positive and threshold effects on new firm entry and reduced exit can foster related industries and technology investments for regional economic transformation.The effect of industry relatedness on firm dynamics involves regional and industry heterogeneity.Our study provides valuable insights on how to formulate industrial development policies by promoting industry relatedness to make cities more innovative and sustainable.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.52274027)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2022M713204).
摘要To address the challenges and difficulties in predicting the relative permeability of reservoirs using traditional physics-driven and data-driven approaches,this paper proposes a collaborative analysis intelligent agent for the relative permeability of oil and gas reservoirs based on a large model.By constructing a multiagent collaborative workflow,integrated collaboration of data,models,and analysis results is achieved.The intelligent agent automatically completes data preprocessing,feature extraction,parameter calibration,small model calling,and output and evaluation of prediction results based on preset task dependencies.At the same time,by introducing deep learning-based embedding of physical information,the analysis efficiency and accuracy are significantly improved.The results show that compared with traditional physical analysis methods,this method improves the accuracy of reservoir relative permeability prediction by 10%,has a computational efficiency 10 times higher than traditional deep learning algorithms,and a computational speed 100–1,000 times higher than conventional physical models.This study further enhances the efficiency and intelligence of physical property analysis of oil and gas reservoirs,providing a new research direction for the intelligent development of oil and gas digitization.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Number:82374504LiuMinru Academic Experience Inheritance Studio of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine,Grant/Award Number:DF02202+1 种基金YuYun Academic Experience Inheritance Studio of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine,Grant/Award Number:E43728Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine,Grant/Award Number:YN2025GZR53。
摘要Background:Young ovarian cancer(OC)patients often experience a synergistic inter-play among tumor progression,estrogen deficiency,and depression,which severely compromises prognosis and quality of life.However,a preclinical model that faithfully recapitulates this triad remains lacking.This study aimed to develop and validate a novel mouse model to investigate the interrelationship between ovarian cancer,hy-poestrogenic states,and depression.Methods:An ovarian cancer–related depression(OCRD)model was established by integrating previously validated components of tumor-depression paradigms,includ-ing ID-8 ovarian cancer modeling and chronic restraint stress-induced depressive-like behavior.Orthotopic(intraperitoneal)and heterotopic(subcutaneous)tumor models were combined with chronic stress.Estrogen status was manipulated by ovary re-tention or ovariectomy(OVX),performed either 1 day before tumor implantation to model preexisting estrogen deficiency or 7 days after engraftment to mimic treatment-induced abrupt hormonal loss.Model validity was assessed using behavioral assays(sucrose preference test,tail suspension test,and open field test),neuroendocrine profiling,and longitudinal evaluation of tumor progression.Results:The model generated by intraperitoneal tumor engraftment,OVX,and chronic stress exhibited pronounced depressive-like behavior,accompanied by marked es-trogen depletion and accelerated tumor progression.All mice survived throughout the experimental period,indicating high model stability and reproducibility.This inte-grated phenotype closely mirrors key clinical features observed in young OC patients undergoing abrupt estrogen deprivation.Conclusions:The combination of intraperitoneal ovarian cancer modeling,ovariectomy,and chronic stress induction establishes a stable and clinically relevant preclinical model of hypoestrogenic ovarian cancer–related depression,suitable for translational research.
基金support to this study from the National Natural Science Foundation of China,NSFC(Grant No.52278367)The Belt and Road Special Foundation of the National Key Laboratory ofWater Disaster Prevention(Grant No.2024nkms08).
摘要The stress-strain behavior of calcareous sand is significantly influencedby particle breakage(B)and initial relative density(Dri),but few constitutive models consider their combined effects.To bridge this gap,we conducted a series of triaxial tests on calcareous sand with varying Dri and stress paths,examining particle breakage and critical state behavior.Key findingsinclude:(1)At a constant stress ratio(η),B follows a hyperbolic relationship with mean effective stress(p'),and for a given p',B increases proportionally withη;(2)The critical state line(CSL)moves downward with increasing Dri,whereas the critical state friction angle(φcs)decreases with increasing B.Based on these findings,we propose a unifiedbreakage evolution model to quantify particle breakage in calcareous sand under various loading conditions.Integrating this model with the Normal Consolidation Line(NCL)and CSL equations,we successfully simulate the steepening of NCL and CSL slopes as B increases with the onset of particle breakage.Furthermore,we quantitatively evaluate the effect of B onφcs.Finally,within the framework of Critical State Soil Mechanics and Hypoplasticity theory,we develop a hypoplastic model incorporating B and Dri.The model is validated through strong agreement with experimental results across various initial relative densities,stress paths and drainage conditions.
基金supported by the National Institutes of Health(UH3TR003274,UH3TR003274-S1,UG3TR005836,R01HL166522,R01CA282451,and R21HL168656)the US National Science Foundation(CISE-CNS-2225698 and CISE-CNS-2525091)+1 种基金the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative(2024-347836)the Brigham Research Institute。
摘要1.Introduction。Aging is a systemic and progressive challenge of significant societal,medical,and scientific urgency.With global populations aging rapidly,age-related diseases,such as neurodegeneration and cardiovascular dysfunction,are accelerating,underscoring the urgent need to understand the mechanisms of aging and develop effective interventions.The trending organ-on-a-chip(OoC)technology offers a powerful solution by recapitulating organ-or tissue-level functions.However,the applications of OoC in aging research remain limited,since most current systems are confined to models that simulate endpoint phenotypes rather than the dynamic evolution of aging itself.