GGE biplot analysis of yield stability and test location representativeness in proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) genotypes

The experiments were conducted for three consecutive years across 14 locations using 9 non-waxy proso millet genotypes and 16 locations using 7 waxy proso millet genotypes in China. The objectives of this study were to analyze yield stability and adaptability of proso millets and to evaluate the discrimination and representativeness of locations by analysis of vari- ance （ANOVA） and genotype and genotype by environment interaction （GGE） biplot methods. Grain yields of proso millet genotypes were significantly influenced by environment （E）, genotype （G） and their interaction （GxE） （P〈0.1%）. GxE inter- action effect was six times higher than G effect in non-waxy group and seven times in waxy group. N04-339 in non-waxy and Neimi 6 （NM6） in waxy showed higher grain yields and stability compared with other genotypes. Also, Neimi 9 （NM9, a non-waxy cultivar） and 90322-2-33 （a waxy cultivar） showed higher adaptability in 7 and in 11 locations, respectively. For non-waxy, Dalat, Inner Mongolia （E2） and Wuzhai, Shanxi （E5） were the best sites among all the locations for maximizing the variance among candidate cultivars, and Yanchi, Ningxia （El0） had the best representativeness. Wuzhai, Shanxi （e9） and Yanchi, Ningxia （e14） were the best representative locations, and Baicheng, Jilin （e2） was better discriminating location than others for waxy genotypes. Based on our results, El0 and e14 have enhanced efficiency and accuracy for non-waxy genotypes and waxy genotypes selection, respectively in national regional test of proso millet varieties.

Understanding the spatial representativeness of air quality monitoring network and its application to PM_(2.5)in the China's Mainland

Air pollution has seriously endangered human health and the natural ecosystem during the last decades.Air quality monitoring stations(AQMS)have played a critical role in providing valuable data sets for recording regional air pollutants.The spatial representativeness of AQMS is a critical parameter when choosing the location of stations and assessing effects on the population to long-term exposure to air pollution.In this paper,we proposed a methodological framework for assessing the spatial representativeness of the regional air quality monitoring network and applied it to ground-based PM_(2.5)observation in the mainland of China.Weighted multidimensional Euclidean distance between each pixel and the stations was used to determine the representativeness of the existing monitoring network.In addition,the K-means clustering method was adopted to improve the spatial representativeness of the existing AQMS.The results showed that there were obvious differences among the representative area of 1820 stations in the mainland of China.The monitoring stations could well represent the PM_(2.5)spatial distribution of the entire region,and the effectively represented area(i.e.the area where the Euclidean distance between the pixels and the stations was lower than the average value)accounted for 67.32%of the total area and covered 93.12%of the population.Forty additional stations were identified in the Northwest,North China,and Northeast regions,which could improve the spatial representativeness by 14.31%.

A STUDY ON SAMPLING REPRESENTATIVENESS OF IAEA RM SD-M-2/TM MARINE SEDIMENT BY INAA

The homogeneity of IAEA RM SD-M-2/TM Marine Sediment was tested by INAA. The sampling constants for 6 elements were determined.

Representativeness of suspected measles cases reported in a southern district of Nigeria

Objective:To compare the characteristics of suspected measles cases at the health facilities and to determine the representativeness of the data.Methods:We visited 25 hospitals in the Aniocha Local Government Area(LGA) of Delta State,Nigeria,from which information on reportable diseases was collected.In particular,the suspected measles cases in their registries between January 1,2007,and June 30,2008,were reviewed.We compared the characteristics,including age,sex,location,and month of reporting,of the suspected cases with the LGA surveillance records.Results:In the LGA records,10%cases involved individuals older than 14 years, compared with 20%in the same age group in the health facility records.Based on geographic location,53%of the measles cases among the hospital records came from a single location,in contrast to only 30%of the cases among the LGA records.An analysis considering time revealed that 30%of the cases in the LGA records occurred in August 2007,whereas 20%of hospital cases were reported in February and May 2008 combined.Conclusions:The two record types differed considerably in all of the characteristics used in this comparison.

m^(1)A inhibition fuels oncolytic virus-elicited antitumor immunity via downregulating MYC/PD-L1 signaling

N^(1)-methyladenosine(m^(1)A)RNA methylation is critical for regulating mRNA translation;however,its role in the development,progression,and immunotherapy response of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC)remains largely unknown.Using Tgfbr1 and Pten conditional knockout(2cKO)mice,we found the neoplastic transformation of oral mucosa was accompanied by increased m^(1)A modification levels.Analysis of m^(1)A-associated genes identified TRMT61A as a key m^(1)A writer linked to cancer progression and poor prognosis.Mechanistically,TRMT61A-mediated tRNA-m^(1)A modification promotes MYC protein synthesis,upregulating programmed death-ligand 1(PD-L1)expression.Moreover,m^(1)A modification levels were also elevated in tumors treated with oncolytic herpes simplex virus(oHSV),contributing to reactive PD-L1 upregulation.Therapeutic m^(1)A inhibition sustained oHSV-induced antitumor immunity and reduced tumor growth,representing a promising strategy to alleviate resistance.These findings indicate that m^(1)A inhibition can prevent immune escape after oHSV therapy by reducing PD-L1 expression,providing a mutually reinforcing combination immunotherapy approach.

Editorial for the Special Issue on Natural Medicine

As the world continues to search for innovative therapeutic solutions,the field of natural medicines has emerged as a vibrant area of research.The potential of natural products to treat a wide range of diseases,coupled with the relatively low sideeffects of such products,has captured the attention of scientists,clinicians,and the general public alike.This Special Issue on Natural Medicine aims to present the latest advancements in this exciting field,highlighting both fundamental research and clinical applications.The collection of articles in this Special Issue covers a broad spectrum of topics,ranging from medicinal chemistry to biological mechanisms,and from the study of single botanic compounds to complex plant formulas.We are particularly pleased to include a comprehensive review by Yi Wang et al.on the bioactivities,mechanisms,production,and potential application of bile acids in preventing and treating infectious diseases.This review not only summarizes the current landscape of bile acids research but also highlights several promising compounds for future investigations,such as the recent interest in ursodeoxycholic acid.In a related topic,Shishan Yu’s team has developed artificial bear bile using synthetic chemistry and enzyme engineering,providing a sustainable substitute for natural bear bile.This innovation meets medical needs while addressing animal welfare issues,representing a notable progression in the field.

COP28 Makes It Official: Fossil Fuels Cause Climate Change

On November 30,2023,amidst outrage over its leadership’s ties to the oil and gas industry[1],COP28—shorthand for the 28th United Nations(UN)“Conference of the Parties”Climate Change meeting—began in Dubai,United Arab Emirates(UAE).However,by the end of the conference on December 12,its attendees had surprisingly reached agreement on a handful of steps to address the challenges posed by climate change.The biggest surprise?Explicitly identifying fossil fuels as the root cause of climate change.For the first time in the summit’s 28-year history,delegates representing nearly 200 countries acknowledged the role of fossil fuels in driving climate change.They agreed to work on “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems,in a just,orderly,and equitable manner,accelerating action in this critical decade,so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science”[2].

Cover Story

Traditional villages are cultural heritage sites representing stages of historical development,with unique regional cultural characteristics and significant cultural values,and their preservation should focus on integrity,authenticity,and egrity,au continuity,The protection and development of traditional villages should be guided by a scientifically sound approach.Post-disaster reconstruction is a topic of global concen,and trnditional villages,with their special heritage nttributes,face additional demands and obstacles in post-disaster reconstruction.Post-disaster reconstruction of traditional villages is a dynamic process of changing the production and livelihoods of affected residents while restoring and protecting heritage during this process,Concretely,it is urgent to identify thc main problems faced by post-disaster recovery and reconstruction of traditional vil lages based on the heritage attributes,and probes the protection planning design paths and revitalization strategies accor dingly.

Solving Quantum Many-Particle Models with Graph Attention Network

Deep learning methods have been shown to be effective in representing ground-state wavefunctions of quantum many-body systems,however the existing approaches cannot be easily used for non-square like or large systems.Here.we propose a variational ansatz based on the graph attention network(GAT)which learns distributed latent representations and can be used on non-square lattices.

Assessing the impact of climate change on agricultural production in central Afghanistan

Afghanistan has faced extreme climatic crises such as drought,rising temperature,and scarce precipitation,and these crises will likely worsen in the future.Reduction in crop yield can affect food security in Afghanistan,where the majority of population and economy are completely dependent on agriculture.This study assessed the interaction between climate change and crop yield in Kabul of Afghanistan during the reference(1990–2020)and future(2025–2100)periods.Climate data(1990–2020)were collected from four meteorological stations and three local organizations,and wheat yield data(1990–2020)were acquired from the United States Agriculture Department.Data during the reference period(1990–2020)were used for the validation and calibration of the statistical downscaling models such as the Statistical Downscaling Model(SDSM)and Long Ashton Research Station Weather Generator(LARS-WG).Furthermore,the auto-regression model was used for trend analysis.The results showed that an increase in the average annual temperature of 2.15℃,2.89℃,and 4.13℃will lead to a reduction in the wheat yield of 9.14%,10.20%,and 12.00%under Representative Concentration Pathway(RCP)2.6,RCP4.5,and RCP8.5 during the future period(2025–2100),respectively.Moreover,an increase in the annual maximum temperature of 1.79℃,2.48℃,and 3.74℃also causes a significant reduction in the wheat yield of 2.60%,3.60%,and 10.50%under RCP2.6,RCP4.5,and RCP8.5,respectively.Furthermore,an increase in the annual minimum temperature of 2.98℃,2.23℃,and 4.30℃can result in an increase in the wheat yield of 6.50%,4.80%,and 9.30%under RCP2.6,RCP4.5,and RCP8.5,respectively.According to the SDSM,the decrease of the average monthly precipitation of 4.34%,4.10%,and 5.13%results in a decrease in the wheat yield of 2.60%,2.36%,and 3.18%under RCP2.6,RCP4.5,and RCP8.5,respectively.This study suggests that adaptation strategies can be applied to minimize the consequences of climate change on agricultural production.

From Major-Countries Coordination to Global Mechanisms:an Analysis of the Global Governance of Large AI Models

The global governance of large artificial intelligence(AI)models calls for urgent actions.Large models,representing a type of technological innovation,is advancing global technological progress and is also compelling the international community’s attention to the role of global governance system in coordinating the development of AI.In building a global governance mechanism for large models,both traditional governance system and new international system should be explored to construct Regime Complexes for the governance of large models.

Attica's Message to Chinese Tourists:We Will Pleasantly Surprise You-Exclusive Interview with Nikos Hardalias,Governor of Greece’s Attica Region

CHINA and Greece,representing two ancient civilizations,hold an enduring appeal for tourists due to their spectacular cultures.The Region of Attica in Greece has an enchantment of its own due to its place in history,when its primary city Athens was a center of learning in Europe.It is therefore no surprise that Greece-and the Region of Attica-would be present at a major tourism event in China.With international tourism warming up,the ITB China 2024.

Three working groups on commercial aerospace established

In order to implement the spirits of the Central Economic Work Conference and systematically promote the standardization work of commercial aerospace,SAC/TC 425,Space technology and operation,recently established three working groups for emerging fields and strategic emerging industries related to commercial aerospace.The work scope of WG 1 on commercial aircraft launching covers the standards research,development and revision for operation support,process,industrial chains,and other fields of launching.It is also responsible for the updating of standards documents published by correspondent international standardization organizations for further analysis and adoption.WG 2 on the application of satellite internet is responsible for the research,development and revision of standards in areas such as the application scenarios and demands,functions and process,interfaces and data forms of satellite internet.Its first batch of members consists of 29 service providers,operators,equipment manufacturers,and parties representing public interests in this field.

全球人工智能专家共同探讨挑战、趋势和标准化

With the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence(AI)and the race for governments to regulate it,the need for international consensus has never been greater.International standards can be valuable tools in the responsible deployment of AI,representing the needs and requirements of all stakeholders and providing global best practice.

The Representativeness of Air Quality Monitoring Sites in the Urban Areas of a Mountainous City

Lanzhou is a typical mountainous city with severe air pollution in northwestern China. This study uses hourly observational data of air pollutants at five air quality monitoring sites in Lanzhou from July to December 2015 to discuss data quality control and the representativeness of the monitoring sites(four urban sites and one suburban site). A fuzzy matrix is applied to study primary air pollutants. The results show that of the six routinely monitored pollutants,the primary pollutant is PM_10 during the study period. Based on lag correlation analysis and one-way analysis of variance, it is concluded that there are redundant observations at the four urban sites for the timely diffusion and transport of air pollutants from the same general area. The coefficient of divergence(COD) method is then used to evaluate the spatial distribution differences, and the primary air pollutant PM_10 shows differences at each site. COD can be used as a positive indicator to describe site representativeness. To evaluate the overall air pollution in the valley, correlation analysis is performed between the PM_10 concentration retrieved from aerosol optical depth satellite data and the concentration from the four urban monitoring sites. Among these, the correlation between the workers' hospital site data and the retrieval data is the highest, passing the 90% confidence level. A new representative evaluation model for air quality monitoring sites, R_s = 0.77 COD + 0.23R_(retrieval), is established by using COD and correlation coefficients between routine observations and satellite retrieval products. From this model, it can be concluded that the biological products institute site in Lanzhou is the most representative site for the evaluation of air pollution out of the four urban air quality monitoring sites from July to December 2015.

Enduring Importance

On 5 March,national and global spotlight turned to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing where around 3,000 deputies gathered to open the second session of the 14th National People’s Congress(NPC).Over a span of seven days,the deputies,representing all of China’s ethnic groups,regions and sectors,discussed and decided on a range of issues critical for the country’s development.

Matching Consequences and Causes in Crisis Public Relations

This exploratory study examines the phenomenon of consequence cause matching,which is based on the representativeness heuristic,from cognitive psychology,upon crisis management and public relations.A 2(Large Scale Crisis vs.Small Scale Crisis)×2(Large Scale Cause vs.Small Scale Cause)mixed factorial design experiment was conducted based upon a hypothetical crisis scenario.This study found initial evidence that consequence cause matching is a phenomenon that can impact the process of attribution for a crisis.It highlights a potential new area of theoretical growth for the situational crisis communication theory.

PIKFYVE inhibition mitigates disease in models of diverse forms of ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that results from many diverse genetic causes.Although therapeutics specifically targeting known causal mutations may rescue individual types of ALS, these approaches cannottreat most cases since they have unknown genetic etiology. Thus, there is a pressing need for therapeutic strategies that rescuemultiple forms of ALS. Here, we show that pharmacological inhibition of PIKFYVE kinase activates an unconventional proteinclearance mechanism involving exocytosis of aggregation-prone proteins. Reducing PIKFYVE activity ameliorates ALSpathology and extends survival of animal models and patient-derived motor neurons representing diverse forms of ALS includingC9ORF72, TARDBP, FUS, and sporadic. These findings highlight a potential approach for mitigating ALS pathogenesis that doesnot require stimulating macroautophagy or the ubiquitin-proteosome system.

Future meteorological drought conditions in southwestern Iran based on the NEX-GDDP climate dataset

Investigation of the climate change effects on drought is required to develop management strategies for minimizing adverse social and economic impacts.Therefore,studying the future meteorological drought conditions at a local scale is vital.In this study,we assessed the efficiency of seven downscaled Global Climate Models(GCMs)provided by the NASA Earth Exchange Global Daily Downscaled Projections(NEX-GDDP),and investigated the impacts of climate change on future meteorological drought using Standard Precipitation Index(SPI)in the Karoun River Basin(KRB)of southwestern Iran under two Representative Concentration Pathway(RCP)emission scenarios,i.e.,RCP4.5 and RCP8.5.The results demonstrated that SPI estimated based on the Meteorological Research Institute Coupled Global Climate Model version 3(MRI-CGCM3)is consistent with the one estimated by synoptic stations during the historical period(1990-2005).The root mean square error(RMSE)value is less than 0.75 in 77%of the synoptic stations.GCMs have high uncertainty in most synoptic stations except those located in the plain.Using the average of a few GCMs to improve performance and reduce uncertainty is suggested by the results.The results revealed that with the areas affected by wetness decreasing in the KRB,drought frequency in the North KRB is likely to increase at the end of the 21st century under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios.At the seasonal scale,the decreasing trend for SPI in spring,summer,and winter shows a drought tendency in this region.The climate-induced drought hazard can have vast consequences,especially in agriculture and rural livelihoods.Accordingly,an increasing trend in drought during the growing seasons under RCP scenarios is vital for water managers and farmers to adopt strategies to reduce the damages.The results of this study are of great value for formulating sustainable water resources management plans affected by climate change.

The Three Cs:China,Culture and Civilization

Steeped in a civilization featuring inclusivity and peaceful nature,China seeks exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations rather than cultural hegemony.WHILE claiming its preeminent global economic status,China has also come to assert its equivalent position in world politics and diplomacy,typically representing the interests of the developing world.