Effect of Acorn Burying Depth on Germination, Seedling Emergence and Development of Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata

Acorns of Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata Maxim. are often predated by small mammals and birds in natural forests. These animals not only eat the acorns during the acorn ripening season, but also cache and hoard most of the remaining acorns on the forest floor in the soil for their future use. These buried acorns form the main seed resource for regeneration. Burying depth is potentially important for germination and for seedling development. The effects of burying depth on germination and seedling development in relation to acorn size were studied in an experiment, in which acorns were planted at 6 cm-, 12 cm- and 18 cm-depth. The experimental results showed that fewer acorns germinated as burying depth increased. From the deeply buried acorns fewer seedlings emerged at later time than from those acorns buried less deeply. They appeared to have more difficulties to emerge above-ground than die seedlings from shallowly buried acorns. The deeply buried acorns and their seedlings also appeared to be more susceptible to rot. Acorn size did not significantly affect germination and emergence of the seedlings. As early emerged seedlings had longer developmental periods in their first growing season, and therefore grew better than die late emerged seedlings, seedlings from die shallowly buried acorns took the advantage.

The MW5.5 earthquake on August 6,2023,in Pingyuan,Shandong,China:A rupture on a buried fault

On August 6,2023,a magnitude MW5.5 earthquake struck Pingyuan County,Dezhou City,Shandong Province,China.This event was significant as no large earthquakes had been recorded in the region for over a century,and no active fault had been previously identified.This study collects 1309 P-wave arrival times and 866 S-wave arrival times from 74 seismic stations less than 200 km to the epicenter to constrain the spatial distribution of the mainshock and its 125 early aftershocks by the double difference earthquake relocation method,and selects 864 P-waveforms from 288 stations located within 800 km of the epicenter to constrain the focal mechanism solution of the mainshock through centroid moment tensor inversion.The relocation and the inversion indicate,the Pingyuan MW5.5 earthquake was caused by a rupture on a buried fault,likely an extensive segment of the Gaotang fault.This buried fault exhibited a dip of approximately 75°to the northwest,with a strike of 222°,similar to the Gaotang fault.The rupture initiated at the depth of 18.6 km and propagated upward and northeastward.However,the ground surface was not broken.The total duration of the rupture was~6.0 s,releasing the scalar moment of 2.5895×1017 N·m,equivalent to MW5.54.The moment rate reached the maximum only 1.4 seconds after the rupture initiation,and the 90%scalar moment was released in the first 4.6 s.In the first 1.4 seconds of the rupture process,the rupture velocity was estimated to be 2.6 km/s,slower than the local S-wave velocity.As the rupture neared its end,the rupture velocity decreased significantly.This study provides valuable insights into the seismic characteristics of the Pingyuan MW5.5 earthquake,shedding light on the previously unidentified buried fault responsible for the seismic activity in the region.Understanding the behavior of such faults is crucial for assessing seismic hazards and enhancing earthquake preparedness in the future.

Design and experimental validation of improved grapevine burying machine

In order to address the low soil breaking rate,poor soil covering performance,and low working efficiency of the existing 3MT-1.8 and PMT-75 grapevine burying machines,two types of improved burying machines,namely the 3MTLJ-1.8 and 3MTXP-1.8,were developed in consideration of the local Ningxia soil conditions.Field experimental results indicated that the soil breaking rate of the 3MTLJ-1.8 machine was 71.44%,and its soil sampling volume increased by approximately 30%compared to that of the 3MT-1.8 machine.It was verified that the self-developed 3MTLJ-1.8 machine can be used in the southern regions of Ningxia.Furthermore,the soil sampling volume of the 3MTXP-1.8 burying machine was 0.24 m^(3)/m,and its soil breaking rate increased by more than 41.42%compared to the standard required volume.The 3MTXP-1.8 machine can be used in the northern areas of Ningxia,where the soil hardness is higher.The results can provide a reference for the development and popularization of grapevine burying machines in Ningxia.

Myotropic activity and immunolocalization of selected neuropeptides of the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides (Coleoptera: Silphidae)

Burying beetles (Nicrophorus sp.) are necrophagous insects with developed parental care. Genome of Nicrophorus vespilloides has been recently sequenced, which makes them interesting model organism in behavioral ecology. However, we know very little about their physiology, including the functioning of their neuroendocrine system. In this study, one of the physiological activities of proctolin, myosuppressin (Nieve? MS), myoinhibitory peptide (Trica-MIP-5) and the short neuropeptide F (Nicve-sNPF) in N. vespilloides have been investigated. The tested neuropeptides were myoactive on N. vespilloides hindgut. After application of the proctolin increased hindgut contraction frequency was observed (EC50 value was 5.47 x 10-8 mol/L). The other tested neuropeptides led to inhibition of N. vespilloides hindgut contractions (Nicve-MS: IC50 = 5.20 x 10~5 mol/L;Trica-MIP-5: IC50 = 5.95 x 10-6 mol/L;Nicvc-sNPF: IC50 = 4.08 x 10-5 mol/L). Moreover, the tested neuropeptides were immunolocalized in the nervous system of N. vespilloides. Neurons containing sNPF and MIP in brain and ventral nerve cord (VNC) were identified. Proctolin-immunolabeled neurons only in VNC were observed. Moreover, MIP-immunolabeled varicosities and fibers in retrocerebral complex were observed. In addition, our results have been supplemented with alignments of amino acid sequences of these neuropeptides in beetle species. This alignment analysis clearly showed amino acid sequence similarities between neuropeptides. Moreover, this allowed to deduce amino acid sequence of N. vespilloides proctolin (RYLPTa), Nicve-MS (QDVDHVFLRFa) and six isoforms ofNicve-MIP (Nicve-MIP-1一 DWNRNLHSWa;Nicve-MIP-2—AWQNLQGGWa;Nicve-MIP-3—AWQNLQGGWa;Nicve-MlP-4—AWKNLNNAGWa;Nicve-MIP-5—SEWGNFRGSWa;Nicve-MIP-6— DPAWTNLKGIWa;and Nicve-sNPF—SGRSPSLRLRFa).

Impact of cold on the immune system of burying beetle, Nicrophorus vespilloides （Coleoptera： Silphidae）

Insect overwintering is one of the most astonishing phases of the insect life cycle. Despite vast amounts of knowledge available about the physiological mechanisms of this phenomenon, the impact of stress factors on insect immune system functioning during the winter is still unknown. The aim of this study is to analyze how low temperatures influence the immune system of the beetle Nic＇rophorus vespilloides. The results show that the beetle＇s immune system is differently modulated by cold induced in laboratory settings than that which occurs in natural conditions, Among beetles cultured in conditions similar to summer, low temperatures, did not influence the number of circulating haemocytes, phenoloxidase activity, haemocytes morphology, and percentage ratio of haemocyte types. In these beetles, differences were noted only in the ability of haemocytes to perform phagocytosis. Individuals acclimated in natural conditions in autumn had a higher level of humoral response and a different percentage ratio of haemocyte types. During the winter period, the number of haemocytes in the beetles decreased, but the percentage ratio of phagocytic haemocytes increased. Furthermore, we noted an increase of phenoloxidase activity. Our study also showed mitotic divisions ofhaemocytes in haemolymph collected from burying beetles after cold exposure and from burying beetles collected from natural conditions during autumn and winter. Differences in response to low temperatures in laboratory conditions and the natural environment suggest that the simultaneous presence of other stress factors during winter such as desiccation and starvation have a significant influence on the activity of burying beetle＇s immune system.

Cross-layer all-interface defect passivation with pre-buried additive toward efficient all-inorganic perovskite solar cells

The buried interface in the perovskite solar cell(PSC)has been regarded as a breakthrough to boost the power conversion efficiency and stability.However,a comprehensive manipulation of the buried interface in terms of the transport layer,buried interlayer,and perovskite layer has been largely overlooked.Herein,we propose the use of a volatile heterocyclic compound called 2-thiopheneacetic acid(TPA)as a pre-buried additive in the buried interface to achieve cross-layer all-interface defect passivation through an in situ bottom-up infiltration diffusion strategy.TPA not only suppresses the serious interfacial nonradiative recombination losses by precisely healing the interfacial and underlying defects but also effectively enhances the quality of perovskite film and releases the residual strain of perovskite film.Owing to this versatility,TPA-tailored CsPbBr3 PSCs deliver a record efficiency of 11.23% with enhanced long-term stability.This breakthrough in manipulating the buried interface using TPA opens new avenues for further improving the performance and reliability of PSC.

Buried interface management via bifunctional NH_(4)BF_(4)towards efficient CsPbI_(2)Br solar cells with a V_(oc)over 1.4 V

CsPbI_(2)Br perovskite solar cells(PSCs)have drawn tremendous attention due to their suitable bandgap,excellent photothermal stability,and great potential as an ideal candidate for top cells in tandem solar cells.However,the abundant defects at the buried interface and perovskite layer induce severe charge recombination,resulting in the open-circuit voltage(V_(oc))output and stability much lower than anticipated.Herein,a novel buried interface management strategy is developed to regulate interfacial carrier dynamics and CsPbI_(2)Br defects by introducing ammonium tetrafluoroborate(NH_(4)BF_(4)),thereby resulting in both high CsPbI_(2)Br crystallization and minimized interfacial energy losses.Specifically,NH_(4)^(+)ions could preferentially heal hydroxyl groups on the SnO_(2)surface and balance energy level alignment between SnO_(2)and CsPbI_(2)Br,enhancing charge transport efficiency,while BF_(4)^(-)anions as a quasi-halogen regulate crystal growth of CsPbI_(2)Br,thus reducing perovskite defects.Additionally,it is proved that eliminating hydroxyl groups at the buried interface enhances the iodide migration activation energy of CsPbI_(2)Br for strengthening the phase stability.As a result,the optimized CsPbI_(2)Br PSCs realize a remarkable efficiency of 17.09%and an ultrahigh V_(oc)output of 1.43 V,which is one of the highest values for CsPbI_(2)Br PSCs.

Inverting the rock mass P-wave velocity field ahead of deep buried tunnel face while borehole drilling

Imaging the wave velocity field surrounding a borehole while drilling is a promising and urgently needed approach for extending the exploration range of the borehole point.This paper develops a drilling process detection(DPD)system consisting of a multifunctional sensor and a pilot geophone installed at the top of the drilling rod,geophones at the tunnel face,a laser rangefinder,and an onsite computer.A weighted adjoint-state first arrival travel time tomography method is used to invert the P-wave velocity field of rock mass while borehole drilling.A field experiment in the ongoing construction of a deep buried tunnel in southwestern China demonstrated the DPD system and the tomography method.Time-frequency analysis of typical borehole drilling detection data shows that the impact drilling source is a pulse-like seismic exploration wavelet.A velocity field of the rock mass in a triangular area defined by the borehole trajectory and geophone receiving line can be obtained.Both the borehole core and optical image validate the inverted P-wave velocity field.A numerical simulation of a checkerboard benchmark model is used to test the tomography method.The rapid convergence of the misfits and consistent agreement between the inverted and observed travel times validate the P-wave velocity imaging.

Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules Enabled by Tailoring Additive Distribution According to the Film Growth Dynamics

Gas quenching and vacuum quenching process are widely applied to accelerate solvent volatilization to induce nucleation of perovskites in blade-coating method.In this work,we found these two pre-crystallization processes lead to different order of crystallization dynamics within the perovskite thin film,resulting in the differences of additive distribution.We then tailor-designed an additive molecule named 1,3-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)thiourea to obtain films with fewer defects and holes at the buried interface,and prepared perovskite solar cells with a certified efficiency of 23.75%.Furthermore,this work also demonstrates an efficiency of 20.18%for the large-area perovskite solar module(PSM)with an aperture area of 60.84 cm^(2).The PSM possesses remarkable continuous operation stability for maximum power point tracking of T_(90)>1000 h in ambient air.

TiO_(2)Electron Transport Layer with p-n Homojunctions for Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells

Low-temperature processed electron transport layer(ETL)of TiO_(2)that is widely used in planar perovskite solar cells(PSCs)has inherent low carrier mobility,resulting in insufficient photogenerated elec-tron transport and thus recombination loss at buried interface.Herein,we demonstrate an effective strategy of laser embedding of p-n homojunctions in the TiO_(2)ETL to accelerate electron transport in PSCs,through localized build-in electric fields that enables boosted electron mobility by two orders of magnitude.Such embedding is found significantly helpful for not only the enhanced crystallization quality of TiO_(2)ETL,but the fabrication of perovskite films with larger-grain and the less-trap-states.The embedded p-n homojunction enables also the modulation of interfacial energy level between perovskite layers and ETLs,favoring for the reduced voltage deficit of PSCs.Benefiting from these merits,the formamidinium lead iodide(FAPbI_(3))PSCs employing such ETLs deliver a champion efficiency of 25.50%,along with much-improved device stability under harsh conditions,i.e.,maintain over 95%of their initial efficiency after operation at maximum power point under continuous heat and illumination for 500 h,as well as mixed-cation PSCs with a champion efficiency of 22.02%and over 3000 h of ambient storage under humidity stability of 40%.Present study offers new possibilities of regulating charge transport layers via p-n homojunction embedding for high performance optoelectronics.

Thermal and exhumation history of the Songnan Low Uplift,Qiongdongnan Basin:constraints from the apatite fission-track and zircon(U-Th)/He thermochronology

Significant advancements have been made in the study of Mesozoic granite buried hills in the Songnan Low Uplift(SNLU)of the Qiongdongnan Basin.These findings indicate that the bedrock buried hills in this basin hold great potential for exploration.Borehole samples taken from the granite buried hills in the SNLU were analyzed using apatite fission track(AFT)and zircon(U-Th)/He data to unravel the thermal history of the basement rock.This information is crucial for understanding the processes of exhumation and alteration that occurred after its formation.Thermal modeling of a sample from the western bulge of the SNLU revealed a prolonged cooling event from the late Mesozoic to the Oligocene period(~80-23.8 Ma),followed by a heating stage from the Miocene epoch until the present(~23.8 Ma to present).In contrast,the sample from the eastern bulge experienced a more complex thermal history.It underwent two cooling stages during the late Mesozoic to late Eocene period(~80-36.4 Ma)and the late Oligocene period(~30-23.8 Ma),interspersed with two heating phases during the late Eocene to early Oligocene period(~36.4-30 Ma)and the Miocene epoch to recent times(~23.8-0 Ma),respectively.The differences in exhumation histories between the western and eastern bulges during the late Eocene to Oligocene period in the SNLU can likely be attributed to differences in fault activity.Unlike typical passive continental margin basins,the SNLU has experienced accelerated subsidence after the rifting phase,which began around 5.2 Ma ago.The possible mechanism for this abnormal post-rifting subsidence may be the decay or movement of the deep thermal source and the rapid cooling of the asthenosphere.Long-term and multi-episodic cooling and exhumation processes play a key role in the alteration of bedrock and contribute to the formation of reservoirs.On the other hand,rapid post-rifting subsidence(sedimentation)promotes the formation of cap rocks.

Enhancing lead-free photovoltaic performance:Minimizing buried surface voids in tin perovskite films through weakly polar solvent pre-treatment strategy

Buried interfacial voids have always been a notorious phenomenon observed in the fabrication of lead perovskite films. The existence of interfacial voids at the buried interface will capture the carrier, suppress carrier transport efficiencies, and affect the stability of photovoltaic devices. However, the impact of these buried interfacial voids on tin perovskites, a promising avenue for advancing lead-free photovoltaics, has been largely overlooked. Here, we utilize an innovative weakly polar solvent pretreatment strategy(WPSPS) to mitigate buried interfacial voids of tin perovskites. Our investigation reveals the presence of numerous voids in tin perovskites during annealing, attributed to trapped dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO) used in film formation. The WPSPS method facilitates accelerated DMSO evaporation, effectively reducing residual DMSO. Interestingly, the WPSPS shifts the energy level of PEDOT:PSS downward, making it more aligned with the perovskite. This alignment enhances the efficiency of charge carrier transport. As the result, tin perovskite film quality is significantly improved,achieving a maximum power conversion efficiency approaching 12% with only an 8.3% efficiency loss after 1700 h of stability tests, which compares well with the state-of-the-art stability of tin-based perovskite solar cells.

Conditions for the enrichment of karst hydrothermal resources in Bohai Bay Basin

Drilling for karst hydrothermal resources in eastern China has posed challenges,including disparities between the temperature and yield of geothermal water.It is evident that relying solely on geothermal anomalies or indications of karst reservoirs is inadequate for the exploration of karst hydrothermal resources.This study seeks to elucidate the cause of geothermal sweet spots by analyzing the interplay between geothermal anomalies and karst reservoirs and the underlying geological conditions for karst hydrothermal enrichment.Key findings include:(1)the Bohai Bay Basin has been geologically favorable for the development of karst hydrothermal resources since the Mesozoic era;(2)the karst hydrothermal enrichment varies significantly between the basin’s margin and its interior.On the basin margin,the enrichment is largely driven by groundwater activity and faults,particularly where faults facilitate the upwelling of geothermal water.In contrast,within the basin’s interior,karst hydrothermal resources are predominantly influenced by buried hills and are especially enriched in areas facilitating the discharge of deep geothermal waters.

CFD Investigation of Diffusion Law and Harmful Boundary of Buried Natural Gas Pipeline in the Mountainous Environment

The leakage gas from a buried natural gas pipelines has the great potential to cause economic losses and environmental pollution owing to the complexity of the mountainous environment.In this study,computational fluid dynamics(CFD)method was applied to investigate the diffusion law and hazard range of buried natural gas pipeline leakage in mountainous environment.Based on cloud chart,concentration at the monitoring site and hazard range of lower explosion limit(LEL)and upper explosion limit(UEL),the influences of leakage hole direction and shape,soil property,burial depth,obstacle type on the diffusion law and hazard range are analyzed.Results show that the leakage gas is not radially diffused until it reaches the ground,and the velocity of gas diffusion to the ground and the hazard range decrease as the angle between the leaking direction and the buoyancy direction increases.Triangular and square leak holes have a faster diffusion rate and a wider hazard range than circular.The diffusion rate of leakage gas in soil rises as soil granularity and porosity increase.The time of leakage gas diffusion to the ground increases significantly with the increase of burial depth,and the hazard range reduces as burial depth increases.Boulder-type obstacles will alter the diffusion path of the leakage gas and accelerate the expansion of the hazard distance,while trench-type obstacles will cause the natural gas to accumulate in the trench and form a high concentration region slowing the expansion of the surface gas concentration.

Identification of the Diffusion Coefficients of Pollutants ( N O 3 - and Mn2+) through the Walls of Concrete Tank and Vulnerability of the Stored Water Quality

The populations of urban centers in Congo-Brazzaville have decided to develop various methods of water storage (concrete or masonry underground tanks) for domestic use, due to shortages in the distribution of water through the public network. However, questions remain as to the physico-chemical quality of the water stored in these tanks, when these structures are built in wet and relatively polluted areas. This paper presents a model of pollutant diffusion through the cementitious matrix (concrete) of tank walls simulated at a buried reservoir. The results of the experimental and numerical simulations show that certain concrete parameters, such as porosity, permeability and diffusivity, have a significant influence on the transfer of pollutants through the concrete walls, thus altering the physico-chemical quality of the stored water. The numerical models (1D) used to predict pollutant transfer and the quality of the stored water are consistent with those of the optimal control for identifying the diffusion coefficient. Major ion concentrations appear to be correlated with system porosity and diffusion coefficient. Nevertheless, the identification of the diffusion coefficient from the optimal control method, based on an explicit numerical resolution of a finite volume PDE for the approximation of the experiment, is not consistent with that of the optimal control method.

南极洲:失落的世界

南极洲并不总是一片荒凉的冰雪之地,这块地球最南端的大陆曾经是布满河流和森林、孕育着生命的家园。科学家们利用卫星观测和雷达影像,一睹南极洲——失落的世界。1 Antarctica has not always been a land of ice and snow.Earths southernmost continent once was home to rivers and forests full of life.2 Scientists are using satellite observations and radar imagery to look deep under the ice.The researchers reported finding a large ancient landscape buried under the continents ice sheet.It is full of valleys and ridges(山脊),shaped by rivers before being covered by glaciers long ago.

Volatile Solid and Bury Period Influence on Odorous Material Production in Simulating Landfill Treatment

Odor pollution in landfill area has attracted more social attention in China. It is very important to control the generation of odor pollutants in situ. Analyzing odorous materials production form buried waste, simulated columns of different volatile solid (VS) content and different buried period waste were designed. Gas compounds produced from the columns were collected and analyzed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC) method. It has remarkable relationship between VS content and concentrations of odorous material. When VS content more than 40%, the total amount of odorous compounds increases remarkably. It can be inferred that reduced VS content of original waste may effective decreasing odorous materials production in landfill area. The old rubbish produced more odorous compounds than that of fresh one in simulated columns.

时代广场的蟋蟀(三)

老鼠和猫在现实生活中是冤家,可在这本书中却成了好朋友,一起看看老鼠、蟋蟀、猫之间的友谊吧。Chester buried his head in the Kleenex.He didn’t want to see his new friend,Tucker Mouse,get killed.

Burying the Hatchet

Premier Wen Jiabao’ s visit to Japan is focusing the public’ s attention firmly on the relations between the two countries right now for two reasons. One is that it is the first visit by a Chinese head of government in six years.

Synergistic Optimization of Buried Interface by Multifunctional Organic-Inorganic Complexes for Highly Efficient Planar Perovskite Solar Cells

For the further improvement of the power conversion efficiency(PCE)and stability of perovskite solar cells(PSCs),the buried interface between the perovskite and the electron transport layer is crucial.However,it is challenging to effectively optimize this interface as it is buried beneath the perovskite film.Herein,we have designed and synthesized a series of multifunctional organic-inorganic(OI)complexes as buried interfacial material to promote electron extraction,as well as the crystal growth of the perovskite.The OI complex with BF4−group not only eliminates oxygen vacancies on the SnO_(2) surface but also balances energy level alignment between SnO_(2) and perovskite,providing a favorable environment for charge carrier extraction.Moreover,OI complex with amine(−NH_(2))functional group can regulate the crystallization of the perovskite film via interaction with PbI2,resulting in highly crystallized perovskite film with large grains and low defect density.Consequently,with rational molecular design,the PSCs with optimal OI complex buried interface layer which contains both BF4−and−NH_(2) functional groups yield a champion device efficiency of 23.69%.More importantly,the resulting unencapsulated device performs excellent ambient stability,maintaining over 90%of its initial efficiency after 2000 h storage,and excellent light stability of 91.5%remaining PCE in the maximum power point tracking measurement(under continuous 100 mW cm−2 light illumination in N2 atmosphere)after 500 h.