A"messenger zone hypothesis"based on the visual three-dimensional spatial distribution of motoneurons innervating deep limb muscles

Coordinated contraction of skeletal muscles relies on selective connections between the muscles and multiple classes of the spinal motoneuro ns.Howeve r,current research on the spatial location of the spinal motoneurons innervating differe nt muscles is limited.In this study,we investigated the spatial distribution and relative position of different motoneurons that control the deep muscles of the mouse hindlimbs,which were innervated by the obturator nerve,femoral nerve,inferior gluteal nerve,deep pe roneal nerve,and tibial nerve.Locations were visualized by combining a multiplex retrograde tracking technique compatible with three-dimensional imaging of solvent-cleared o rgans(3DISCO)and 3-D imaging technology based on lightsheet fluorescence microscopy(LSFM).Additionally,we propose the hypothesis that"messenger zones"exist as interlaced areas between the motoneuron pools that dominate the synergistic or antagonist muscle groups.We hypothesize that these interlaced neurons may participate in muscle coordination as messenger neurons.Analysis revealed the precise mutual positional relationships among the many motoneurons that innervate different deep muscles of the mouse.Not only do these findings update and supplement our knowledge regarding the overall spatial layout of spinal motoneurons that control mouse limb muscles,but they also provide insights into the mechanisms through which muscle activity is coordinated and the architecture of motor circuits.

Spatial distribution and failure mechanism of water-induced landslides in the reservoir areas of Southwest China

Water-induced landslides in hydropower reservoirs pose a great threat to both project operation and human life.This paper examines three large reservoirs in Sichuan Province,China.Field surveys,site monitoring data analyses and numerical simulations are used to analyze the spatial distribution and failure mechanisms of water-induced landslides in reservoir areas.First,the general rules of landslide development in the reservoir area are summarized.The first rule is that most of the landslides have rear edge elevations of 100e500 m above the normal water level of the reservoir,with volumes in the range of 106 e107 m 3.When the volume exceeds a certain amount,the number of sites at which the landscape can withstand landslides is greatly reduced.Landslide hazards mainly occur in the middle section of the reservoir and less in the annex of the dam site and the latter half of the reservoir area.The second rule is that sedimentary rocks such as sandstone are more prone to landslide hazards than other lithologies.Then,the failure mechanism of changes in the water level that reduces the stability of the slope composed of different geomaterials is analyzed by a proposed slope stability framework that considers displacement and is discussed with the monitoring results.Permeability is an essential parameter for understanding the diametrically opposed deformation behavior of landslides experiencing filling-drawdown cycles during operation.This study seeks to provide inspiration to subsequent researchers,as well as guidance to technicians,on landslide prevention and control in reservoir areas.

Effect of the mineral spatial distribution heterogeneity on the tensile strength of granite:Insights from PFC3D-GBM numerical analysis

The mechanical characteristics of crystalline rocks are affected by the heterogeneity of the spatial distribution of minerals.In this paper,a novel three-dimensional(3D)grain-based model(GBM)based on particle flow code(PFC),i.e.PFC3D-GBM,is proposed.This model can accomplish the grouping of mineral grains at the 3D scale and then filling them.Then,the effect of the position distribution,geometric size,and volume composite of mineral grains on the cracking behaviour and macroscopic properties of granite are examined by conducting Brazilian splitting tests.The numerical results show that when an external load is applied to a sample,force chains will form around each contact,and the orientation distribution of the force chains is uniform,which is independent of the external load level.Furthermore,the number of high-strength force chains is proportional to the external load level,and the main orientation distribution is consistent with the external loading direction.The main orientation of the cracks is vertical to that of the high-strength force chains.The geometric size of the mineral grains controls the mechanical behaviours.As the average grain size increases,the number of transgranular contacts with higher bonding strength in the region connecting both loading points increases.The number of high-strength force chains increases,leading to an increase in the stress concentration value required for the macroscopic failure of the sample.Due to the highest bonding strength,the generation of transgranular cracks in quartz requires a higher concentrated stress value.With increasing volume composition of quartz,the number of transgranular cracks in quartz distributed in the region connecting both loading points increases,which requires many high-strength force chains.The load level rises,leading to an increase in the tensile strength of the numerical sample.

Historical and current climates affect the spatial distribution of herbivorous tree insects in China

Historical and current climate impacts reshape the evolutionary trajectory and ecological dynamics of entire vegetative communities,which can drive insect species distribution.Understanding the spatial distribution of insects can enhance forest management effectiveness.The effects of historical and current climates in the spatial distribution of herbivorous tree insects in China were explored.A species distribution model simulated insect spatial distribution based on 596 species and the distribution probability and richness of these species were assessed in forest ecoregions.The explanatory power of the historical climate was stronger than that of the current climate,particularly historical annual precipitation and annual mean temperatures,for the distribution of herbivorous insects.Under both historical and current climatic conditions,herbivorous tree insects were and are mainly distributed in the North China Plain and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Plain,namely in the Huang He Plain mixed forests,Changjiang Plain evergreen forests,and Sichuan Basin evergreen broadleaf forests.The Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and northeast China are regions with large impact differences between historical and current climates.The findings of this study provide valuable insights into herbivorous insect responses to sustained climate change and may contribute to long-term biodiversity conservation activities.

Spatial Distribution and Seasonal Variation of Hypoxic Zone in the Eastern Equatorial Indian Ocean

The spatial distribution and seasonal variations of the hypoxic zone in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean were investigated using survey data collected from four cruises from 2013 to 2018.Results showed that hypoxic zone occurred all year round in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean,and it spread southward in the shape of a double tongue at two depths with one at subsurface centered at a depth of 150 m and the other in intermediate water centered at a depth of 800 m.The southward expansion and maximum thickness of the hypoxic zone were greatest in the spring inter-monsoon and least in the summer monsoon.The hypoxic zone originated from the southward expansion of the hypoxic water in the Bay of Bengal and its spatial distribution was driven by southward output flux of mid-deep(100–1000 m)hypoxic water from the Bay of Bengal.The hypoxia southward expansion was blocked near the equator in the subsurface layer,because of mixing with multiple zonal circulations(e.g.,Wyrtki Jets and the equatorial undercurrent),which meant that the hypoxic zone extended over a smaller area than in the intermediate water.These new findings will contribute to an improved understanding of the hypoxic zone and will contribute to circulation research,particularly about intermediate circulation in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean.

Spatial distribution and potential poverty-returning factors of former poverty-stricken villages in the Liangshan Mountains,China

Remote mountainous villages are at risk of falling back into poverty,despite having been lifted out of extreme poverty.However,there has been a lack of focus on the factors contributing to povertyreturn in these villages,which making it difficult to understand the risks and their underlying causes.This study investigates the spatial distribution of 546 key assistance villages(KAVs)in the Liangshan mountainous region,a former poverty-stricken area,using the average nearest neighbor(ANN)and kernel density estimation(KDE)methods.Linear regression and geographically weighted regression(GWR)models are then employed to analyze the relationship between the KAVs'economy and potential povertyreturning factors.The results show that KAVs are primarily located in elevation ranges of 1800-2500 m(31.87%),with slopes of 6°-15°(42.67%)and 2-3 km from the township(28.94%).The distribution of KAVs exhibits distinct spatial clustering,forming four gathering areas.Several factors impact the KAVs'economy positively,including the normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI),built-up area,grassland,and education facilities,while elevation has a negative effect.The built-up area has the most critical impact on the rural economy,followed by NDVI and elevation.Additionally,education facilities and grassland areas also have significant effects.The study suggests promoting the Ex-situ Poverty Alleviation Relocation Program(ESPARP)and increasing rural built-up areas,grasslands,and educational facilities as practical measures for preventing poverty return and promoting economic development promotion in remote mountain villages.

Freely accessible inventory and spatial distribution of large-scale landslides in Xianyang City,Shaanxi Province,China

In this study, we used high-resolution optical satellite images on the Google Earth platform to map large-scale landslides in Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province, China. After mapping, a comprehensive and detailed large-scale landslide inventory that contains 2 924 large-scale landslides was obtained. We analyzed the spatial distribu-tion of landslides with seven influencing factors, including elevation, slope angle, aspect, curvature, lithology, distance to a river, and distance to the fault. Landslide Number, Landslide Area, Landslide Number Density(LND), and Landslide Area Percentage(LAP) were selected as indexes for the spatial distribution analysis. The results show that the number and area of landslides in the elevation range of 1 000–1 200 m is the highest. The highest number of landslides was observed in the slope angle of 25°–30°. North-facing slopes are prone to sliding. The area and number of landslides are the largest when the slope curvature ranges from-1.28 to 0. The LND and LAP reach their maxima when the slope curvature is less than-2.56. Areas covered by the Tertiary stratum with weakened fine-grained sandstone and siltstone show the highest LND and LAP values. Regarding distance to a river, the LAP peaks in the range of 300–600 m, whereas the LND peaks in an area larger than 2100 m. The values of LND and LNP rise as the distance from the faults increases, except for the locations 30 km away from active faults. This phenomenon is because active faults in this area pass through the plain areas, while landslides mostly occur in mountainous areas. The cataloging of landslide development in Xianyang City provides a significant scientific foundation for future research on landslides. In addition, the spatial distribution results are useful for landslide hazard prevention decisions and provide valuable references in this area.

Spatial Distribution and Inscribed Criteria of Cultural Landscape World Heritage Sites

As an important type of world heritage sites,cultural landscape has always been an important research subject.In order to explore the spatial distribution and evolution mode of cultural landscape all over the world,the paper systematically elaborated the historical context of cultural landscape.The distribution characteristics were analyzed by statistical methods,and the connotation and evolution law represented by cultural landscape in different regions were expounded.The word frequency of regional heritage criteria was analyzed,and the local characteristics of each case were discussed.The research shows that the spatial distribution of global cultural landscape is unbalanced,mainly concentrated in Europe,and the spatial distribution characteristics are closely related to geographical environment,social history,economic development level and many other factors.In terms of inscribed criteria for world heritage sites,most cultural landscapes are mainly based on cultural criteria,but also involve natural criteria.The recognition and protection of cultural landscapes that simultaneously meet multiple criteria will become the focus in the future.

Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Lightning Activity in Ulanqab City

From January 2020 to December 2021,Ulanqab Meteorological Bureau of Inner Mongolia used VLF/LF lightning locator to carry out three-dimensional lightning monitoring in Ulanqab City,and compared with ADTD lightning location data in the same period.The results show that both VLF/LF lightning locator and ADTD lightning locator had excellent monitoring ability for lightning during flood season in Ulanqab.VLF/LF lightning locator was slightly superior to ADTD lightning locator in observation accuracy,the observation ability of low-current cloud-to-ground lightning,intracloud lightning observation and so on.There were obvious temporal and spatial characteristics of cloud-to-ground lightning during flood season in Ulanqab,and there was a certain correlation between the areas where lightning appeared frequently and surface water.Intracloud lightning was mainly concentrated at a height of 1-7 km.Negative cloud-to-ground lightning accounted for about 75%of total cloud-to-ground lightning,and negative intracloud lightning accounted for 39%of total intracloud lightning.

Research on Spatial Distribution of Settlements in the Upper Reaches of the Minjiang River

Under the background of the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the settlements in the upper reaches of the Min River are significantly affected by the mountain environment, and their spatial distribution is typical and representative. In this study, the relationship between settlements and topography, rivers and transportation, and the spatial distribution patterns of settlements, such as the aggregation and orientation characteristics of settlements, have been studied. The main conclusions include: 1) The settlement density decreases with the increase of elevation, slope, and distance from rivers and roads;76.25% and 63.17% of the settlements are distributed in the range of elevation 1500 - 3000 m and slope 6° - 25°, the upper reaches of the Min River are mostly alpine valley terrain, the bottom of the river has a low altitude, the landscape is undulating. The warm and humid climate is suitable for farming, conducive to agricultural production, and an ideal living environment for mountain residents. 2) The nuclear density of the settlement is distributed in strips along the axis of the river, and the closer to the river, the greater the nuclear density value. 3) Mathematical statistical methods were applied for the first time to realize the quantitative expression of the coupling of settlement and river direction. The influence of topographic conditions in different watersheds on the coupling degree of settlement extension and river flow direction was revealed. The slope of the fitted straight line between the settlement and river direction was 0.897, and the two directions were consistent. Except for the mainstream of the Min River, the larger values of the standard deviation ellipse flattening of settlements in each basin appeared in the upper reaches of the bay, and the overall trend showed a gradual decrease from the upstream to the downstream, which was consistent with the topographic change characteristics of the basin.

Hydroacoustic estimates of fish biomass and spatial distributions in shallow lakes

We conducted acoustical surveys with a horizontal beam transducer to detect fish and with a vertical beam transducer to detect depth and macrophytes in two typical shallow lakes along the middle and lower reaches of the Changjiang(Yangtze) River in November 2013. Both lakes are subject to active fish management with annual stocking and removal of large fish. The purpose of the study was to compare hydroacoustic horizontal beam estimates with fish landings. The preliminary results show that the fish distribution patterns dif fered in the two lakes and were af fected by water depth and macrophyte coverage. The hydroacoustically estimated fish biomass matched the commercial catch very well in Niushan Lake, but it was two times higher in Kuilei Lake. However, acoustic estimates included all fish, whereas the catch included only fish >45 cm(smaller ones were released). We were unable to determine the proper regression between acoustic target strength and fish length for the dominant fish species in the two lakes.

Evolution of Potential Spatial Distribution Patterns of Carex Tussock Wetlands Under Climate Change Scenarios,Northeast China

Carex tussock plays an important role in supporting biodiversity and carbon sequestration of wetland ecosystems,while it is highly threatened by climate change and anthropogenic activities.Therefore,identifying the potential distribution patterns of Carex tussocks wetland is vital for their targeted conservation and restoration.The current and future(2050s and 2070s)potential habitats distribution of Carex tussocks in Northeast China were predicted using a Maximum Entropy(Maxent)model based on 68 current data of Carex tussock distributions and three groups of environmental variables(bioclimate,topography,soil properties).Results show that isothermality,seasonal precipitation variability and altitude are important factors that determine the distribution of Carex tussock.The high suitable habitat of Carex tussock is about 5.7×10^(4)km^(2) and mainly distributed in the Sanjiang Plain,Songnen Plain,Changbai Mountains and Da Hinggan Mountains.The area of stable habitats of Carex tussock is significantly higher than the lost and expanded habitats in the future climate scenarios,and the unsuitable habitats mainly occur in Da Hinggan Mountains,Xiao Hinggan Mountains and Changbai Mountains.Overall,Carex tussock wetlands at high altitude and high latitude are more sensitive to climate change,and more attention should be invested in high latitude and high altitude areas.

Fragment spatial distribution of prismatic casing under internal explosive loading

Non-cylindrical casings filled with explosives have undergone rapid development in warhead design and explosion control.The fragment spatial distribution of prismatic casings is more complex than that of traditional cylindrical casings.In this study,numerical and experimental investigations into the fragment spatial distribution of a prismatic casing were conducted.A new numerical method,which adds the Lagrangian marker points to the Eulerian grid,was proposed to track the multi-material interfaces and material dynamic fractures.Physical quantity mappings between the Lagrangian marker points and Eulerian grid were achieved by their topological relationship.Thereafter,the fragment spatial distributions of the prismatic casing with different fragment sizes,fragment shapes,and casing geometries were obtained using the numerical method.Moreover,fragment spatial distribution experiments were conducted on the prismatic casing with different fragment sizes and shapes,and the experimental data were compared with the numerical results.The effects of the fragment and casing geometry on the fragment spatial distributions were determined by analyzing the numerical results and experimental data.Finally,a formula including the casing geometry parameters was fitted to predict the fragment spatial distribution of the prismatic casing under internal explosive loading.

Spatial Distribution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Agricultural Specialized Villages in Guangdong Province,China

China is vigorously implementing a rural revitalization strategy with the prosperity of rural industries as the primary goal.The characteristic economy of’One Village One Product’(OVOP)is particularly significant in promoting rural revitalization and increasing farmers’income.Accurately identifying the spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors of agricultural specialized villages(ASVs)under OVOP provides a preliminary research basis for constructing the theoretical framework of specialization and clustering of rural industrial development.This study takes Guangdong Province,China as an example,using kernel density estimation,Ripley’s K function,geometric fractals,principal component regression and other methods to identify the spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors of ASVs.It was found that the ASVs in Guangdong Province are dominated by the planting industry,with an uneven number in space and a multi patch distribution.Specifically,ASVs are mainly distributed in the Chaoshan Plain in the eastern Guangdong,the northern mountainous area of Guangzhou,and the eastern part of Maoming City.Its spatial distribution mode obeys the aggregation distribution pattern at the scale of province,region and municipality(prefecture-level city).In addition,the formation and development of ASVs are affected by multiple internal and external factors.The influence of basic factors such as natural environmental conditions is gradually weakening,while the influence of social and economic factors such as market demand is gradually increasing.This study can enrich the research results of ASVs and provide guidance and reference for the long-term and high-quality development of rural industry revitalization.

Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Rural Tourism Attractions in Yangzhou City

By using geography quantitative methods and Arc GIS,the spatial distribution characteristics,types,rules and influencing factors of 20 representative rural tourism attractions in Yangzhou City were analyzed.The results show that the traffic accessibility of various regions in Yangzhou City correlated positively with the spacial distribution of rural tourist attractions in quantity in these regions.The rural tourist attractions were dense in regions 10-20 km away from the center of the city;there was only one rural tourist attraction in regions 40-70 km away from the center of the city;some big rural tourist attractions were distributed in regions 70-90 km away from the center of the city;market orientation influenced the spatial distribution of the rural tourist attractions obviously.In regions 0-30 km away from the center of the city,most rural tourist attractions mainly provided recreation and entertainment services for tourists;in regions more than 70 km away from the center of the city,most rural tourist attractions mainly provided health and recuperation services for tourists;in regions 30-50 km away from the center of the city,the service functions of the rural tourist attractions were compound and diversified.

Species spatial distributions in a warm-temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest in China

Spatial distribution is fundamental for understanding species coexistence mechanisms in forest communities.Here we comprehensively explored fine-scale spatial patterns of tree species in a secondary warm-temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest community in north China.Aggregated distribution patterns were predominant.Species functional traits had no significant effects on their spatial patterns.The aggregation intensity decreased with increasing DBH and abundance.The multivariate linear stepwise regression showed that abundance and maximum DBH were correlated with the aggregation intensity.Our results partially confirm that species attributes(abundance,DBH)and habitat heterogeneity may primarily contribute to spatial patterns and species coexistence in this secondary forest.

Spatial Distribution of Traditional Villages and Influence Factors in Hunan Province

To develop and protect traditional villages reasonably, this paper applied Arc GIS Spatial Analyst Tools to analyze spatial distribution and infl uence factors of 101 traditional villages in Hunan Province. The research showed the agglomerate distribution of traditional villages in Hunan; from the city scale, distribution of traditional villages was concentrated mainly in West Hunan Tujia Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Chenzhou, Yongzhou, Huaihua and Shaoyang; concentrated distribution of traditional villages in the fi ve major geographic regions showed poor equilibrium, West Hunan had the most concentrated traditional villages, and South Hunan has the second most; relatively closed regional environment, perilous hills, inconvenient transportation, and underdeveloped social economy contributed to the protection of traditional villages, and they were all signifi cant infl uence factors for the distribution of traditional villages in Hunan.

Geostatistical Analysis of Spatial Distribution and Dynamics of Dead Heart of Sugarcane Seedlings Caused by Borer

Dead heart of sugarcane is an important symptom caused by borer attack. In the present study, the spatial distribution and dynamics of dead heart of sugarcane in the field were investigated based on geostatistical analysis, and semivariograms were computed in four separate directions(0°, 45°, 90° and 135°) and fitted with various theoretical models to determine the best fitted one. The Ordinary Kriging was used to interpolate spatial data. The results revealed that the density of dead hearts of sugarcane increased in a single-peak pattern, and the degree of spatial aggregation and random variation both decreased with the increase in the density of dead heart. In addition, dead heart of sugarcane caused by borer exhibited spatial aggregation.With the increase in the density of dead heart, the degree of spatial aggregation decreased, while the correlation increased. Kriging interpolation indicated that the correlation between the spatial patches was weak in early seedling stage, and became strong in middle and late seedling stage.

Analysis of temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of ammonium chloride smoke particles in confined spaces

In response to the demand for short-range detection of anti-smoke environment interference by laser fuzes,this study proposes a smoke environment simulation of non-uniform continuous point source diffusion and investigates an experimental laboratory smoke environment using an ammonium chloride smoke agent.The particle size distribution,composition,and mass flow distribution of the smoke were studied.Based on a discrete phase model and a kεturbulence model,a numerical simulation was developed to model the smoke generation and diffusion processes of the smoke agent in a confined space.The temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of the smoke mass concentration,velocity,and temperature in the space after smoke generation were analyzed,and the motion law governing the smoke diffusion throughout the entire space was summarized.Combined with the experimental verification of the smoke environment laboratory,the results showed that the smoke plume changed from fan-shaped to umbrella-shaped during smoke generation,and then continued to spread around.Meanwhile,the mass concentration of smoke in the space decreased from the middle outward;the changes in temperature and velocity were small and stable.In the diffusion stage(after 900 s),the mass concentration of smoke above 0.8 m was relatively uniform across an area of smoke that was 12 m thick.The concentration decreased over time,following a consistent decreasing trend,and the attenuation was negligible in a very short time.Therefore,this system was suitable for conducting experimental research on laser fuzes in a smoke environment.Owing to the stability of the equipment and facilities,the setup could reproduce the same experimental smoke environment by artificially controlling the smoke emission of the smoke agent.Overall,this work provides a theoretical reference for subsequent research efforts regarding the construction of uniform smoke environments and evaluating laser transmission characteristics in smoky environments.

Meiofaunal Community Spatial Distribution and Diversity as Indicators of Ecological Quality in the Bohai Sea, China

The Bohai Sea is a semi-enclosed marginal sea in the North West Pacific. Meiofauna samples were collected from 22 stations in the Bohai Sea to document the spatial distribution, structure, and diversity of the meiofaunal community and investigate the major factors influencing the community features. A total of 20 higher taxa of meiofauna were identified. The dominant group was Nematoda, accounting for 90.8% of the total meiofaunal abundance on average, followed by Copepoda, Bivalvia, Polychaeta, Kinorhyncha, and Ostracoda. Meiofaunal abundance ranged from 121 ± 89 ind(10 cm2)-1 to 3042 ± 1054 ind(10 cm2)-1. Diversity indices also varied among different stations, with a Margalef's richness index(d) of 1.1–3.1, Shannon-Wiener diversity index(H′) of 0.7–1.8, and Pielou's evenness index(J′) of 0.4– 0.8. Meiofaunal abundance and diversity indices were significantly lower in the areas of Bohai Bay and adjacent to Laizhou Bay. The correlation analysis showed that meiofaunal abundance and diversity indices are closely linked to variations in sediment silt-clay content, medium grain size(MDΦ), and chlorophyll-a concentrations. The ecological quality status of most stations can be ranked from poor to moderate based on meiofaunal richness. According to the value of nematode to copepod ratio(Ne:Co ratio), most stations are uncontaminated, except seven stations are slightly or moderately contaminated. Both meiofaunal richness and Ne:Co ratio indicate the poor ecological quality of three stations adjacent to Laizhou Bay. The efficiency of the meiofauna communities as environmental indicators will be tested in a greater area in the future studies.