The high-quality Pinellia pedatisecta genome reveals a key role of tandem duplication in the expansion of its agglutinin genes

Dear Editor,Pinellia Tenore,a small genus of the monocot family Araceae,consists of only nine perennial herbaceous species and is mainly distributed in East Asia[1].Pinellia plants have been widely used as herbal medicines in Asia for over 2000 years.Among these species,P.ternata and P.pedatisecta are most widely used as traditional medicinal herbs[2].In China,the medicinal utilization of P.ternata and P.pedatisecta was first documented in the Divine Farmer’s Materia Medica(Chinese name:‘Shennong Bencao Jing’)during the Eastern Han dynasty(25–250 AD).Tubers produced by these plants have been traditionally utilized to treat vomiting,infection,and inf lammation[3].Modern pharmacological studies have indicated that the pharmacological effects of Pinellia plants are closely related to endogenous components,such as plant lectins,alkaloids,amino acids,nucleosides,and polysaccharides[2].P.ternata has been listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia as a common traditional Chinese medicine.However,to date no genomic resources have been reported in the genus Pinellia,which greatly limits further studies on this valuable resource.

Semi-analytical solution for drained expansion analysis of a hollow cylinder of critical state soils

The expansion of a thick-walled hollow cylinder in soil is of non-self-similar nature that the stress/deformation paths are not the same for different soil material points.As a result,this problem cannot be solved by the common self-similar-based similarity techniques.This paper proposes a novel,exact solution for rigorous drained expansion analysis of a hollow cylinder of critical state soils.Considering stress-dependent elastic moduli of soils,new analytical stress and displacement solutions for the nonself-similar problem are developed taking the small strain assumption in the elastic zone.In the plastic zone,the cavity expansion response is formulated into a set of first-order partial differential equations(PDEs)with the combination use of Eulerian and Lagrangian descriptions,and a novel solution algorithm is developed to efficiently solve this complex boundary value problem.The solution is presented in a general form and thus can be useful for a wide range of soils.With the new solution,the non-self-similar nature induced by the finite outer boundary is clearly demonstrated and highlighted,which is found to be greatly different to the behaviour of cavity expansion in infinite soil mass.The present solution may serve as a benchmark for verifying the performance of advanced numerical techniques with critical state soil models and be used to capture the finite boundary effect for pressuremeter tests in small-sized calibration chambers.

Swelling pressure evolution characterization of strong expansive soil considering the influence of reserved expansion deformation

Numerous engineering cases have demonstrated that the expansive soil channel slope remains susceptible to damage with the implementation of a rigid or closed protective structure. It is common for the protective structure to experience bulging failure due to excessive swelling pressure. To investigate the swelling pressure properties of expansive soil, the constant volume test was employed to study the influence of water content and reserved expansion deformation on the characteristics of swelling pressure in strong expansive soils, and also to explore the evolution mechanism of the swelling pressure. The findings demonstrate that the swelling pressure-time curve can be classified into swelling pressure-time softening and swelling pressure-time stability type. The swelling pressuretime curve of the specimen with low water content is the swelling pressure-time softening type, and the softening level will be weakened with increasing reserved expansion deformation. Besides, the maximum swelling pressure Psmax decreases with increasing water content and reserved expansion deformation, especially for expansion ratio η from 24% to 37%. The reserved deformation has little effect on reducing Psmax when it is beyond 7% of the expansion rate. The specimen with low water content has a more homogeneous structure due to the significant expansion-filling effect, and the fracture and reorganization of the aggregates in the specimens with low water content cause the swelling pressure-time softening behavior. In addition, the proposed swelling pressure-time curve prediction model has a good prediction on the test results. If necessary, a deformation space of about 7% expansion rate is recommended to be reserved in the engineering to reduce the swelling pressure except for keeping a stable water content.

Expansion of human umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cells in regenerative medicine

BACKGROUND Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that possess the potential for self-renewal with the capacity to differentiate into multiple lineages.In humans,their limited numbers pose a challenge in fulfilling the necessary demands for the regeneration and repair of damaged tissues or organs.Studies suggested that mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs),necessary for repair and regeneration via transplantation,require doses ranging from 10 to 400 million cells.Furthermore,the limited expansion of MSCs restricts their therapeutic application.AIM To optimize a novel protocol to achieve qualitative and quantitative expansion of MSCs to reach the targeted number of cells for cellular transplantation and minimize the limitations in stem cell therapy protocols.METHODS Human umbilical cord(hUC)tissue derived MSCs were obtained and re-cultured.These cultured cells were subjected to the following evaluation pro-cedures:Immunophenotyping,immunocytochemical staining,trilineage differentiation,population doubling time and number,gene expression markers for proliferation,cell cycle progression,senescence-associatedβ-galactosidase assay,human telomerase reverse transcriptase(hTERT)expression,mycoplasma,cytomegalovirus and endotoxin detection.RESULTS Analysis of pluripotent gene markers Oct4,Sox2,and Nanog in recultured hUC-MSC revealed no significant differences.The immunophenotypic markers CD90,CD73,CD105,CD44,vimentin,CD29,Stro-1,and Lin28 were positively expressed by these recultured expanded MSCs,and were found negative for CD34,CD11b,CD19,CD45,and HLA-DR.The recultured hUC-MSC population continued to expand through passage 15.Proliferative gene expression of Pax6,BMP2,and TGFb1 showed no significant variation between recultured hUC-MSC groups.Nevertheless,a significant increase(P<0.001)in the mitotic phase of the cell cycle was observed in recultured hUC-MSCs.Cellular senescence markers(hTERT expression andβ-galactosidase activity)did not show any negative effect on recultured hUC-MSCs.Additionally,quality control assessments consistently confirmed the absence of mycoplasma,cytomegalovirus,and endotoxin contamination.CONCLUSION This study proposes the development of a novel protocol for efficiently expanding stem cell population.This would address the growing demand for larger stem cell doses needed for cellular transplantation and will significantly improve the feasibility of stem cell based therapies.

Spatial Differentiation and Convergence Trend of High-quality Development Level of China’s Tourism Economy

This paper aims to interpret the connotation of high-quality development of tourism economy(HQTE)from the perspective of the new development concepts of innovation,coordination,green,openness and sharing,and then to evaluate the spatial differenti-ation of China’s HQTE based on provincial panel data from 2009 to 2018.Specifically,we employ the spatial convergence model to ex-plore the absolute and conditionalβconvergence trends of HQTE in the whole country and the eastern,central and western regions of China.Our empirical results reveal that:1)within the decade,from 2009 to 2018,regions of China with the highest HQTE index is its eastern region followed by the central region and then the western region,but the fastest growing one is the western region of China fol-lowed by the central region and then the eastern region.2)Whether or not the spatial effect is included,there are absolute and condition-alβconvergence in HQTE in the whole country and aforementioned three regions.3)The degree of government attention as well as the level of economic development and location accessibility are the positive driving factors for the convergence of HQTE in the whole country and the three regions.The degree of marketization and human capital have not passed the significance test either in the whole country or in the three regions.The above conclusions could deepen the understanding of the regional imbalance and spatial conver-gence characteristics of HQTE,clarify the primary development objects,and accomplish the goal of China’s HQTE.

High-quality Development Path of Graduate Education in Aquaculture Discipline:A Case Study of Guangdong Ocean University

Aquaculture is a discipline system that focuses on exploring the growth,development,reproduction,aquaculture,and resources of aquatic animals and plants,and their complex relationships.Under the tide of the"high-quality development"strategy,the aquaculture discipline is also facing new opportunities and challenges for transformation,upgrading,and deepening development.Therefore,exploring and practicing an effective path for the high-quality development of graduate education in aquaculture is not only the key to promoting the transformation of graduate education in aquaculture from scale expansion to quality improvement,but also has immeasurable value for implementing the strategy on developing a quality workforce and the strategy of scientific and technological powerhouse.The high-quality development of graduate education in aquaculture can be promoted from the following aspects:optimizing and improving the construction of the graduate education system,focusing on enhancing the quality of high-level talent cultivation,strengthening the overall strength of the graduate supervisor team,actively promoting the adjustment and upgrading of the disciplinary and professional structure,strengthening the construction of resource platforms and deepening the implementation of collaborative education mechanisms,and continuously expanding and deepening the new pattern of international exchange and cooperation.Through the comprehensive promotion of the above paths,the aim is to fully build a model for the improvement and governance of graduate education quality.

Effects of high-quality neurosurgical nursing care on improving clinical nursing quality

BACKGROUND With continuous advancements in medical technology,neurosurgical nursing is constantly developing and improving to provide higher-quality nursing services.AIM To explore the effects of different types of high-quality nursing care on clinical nursing quality and patient satisfaction in neurosurgical nursing.METHODS Eighty patients who received neurosurgical treatment in the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from June to December 2020 were selected as study participants and categorised into study and control groups.The study group comprised 40 patients who received 4 different types of high-quality nursing care,whereas the control group comprised 40 patients who received conventional nursing care.After a specific period,nursing satisfaction levels and adverse event and complication rates were compared between the two groups.RESULTS Satisfaction with high-quality care was higher than that with conventional care,and high-quality health services and regional services showed the highest satisfaction levels,with an average score of 12 on the Glasgow scale.The satisfaction levels of the study and control groups were 75%and 57%,respectively,with a statistically significant difference(t=7.314,P<0.05).During the nursing period,the adverse event and complication rates were the highest in patients with level III pathology grade and those who underwent neurosurgery(40.02%and 85.93%,respectively),and the difference was statistically significant.CONCLUSION In neurosurgical nursing,employing appropriate high-quality nursing methods can effectively reduce adverse event and complication rates in patients,thereby improving the quality of nursing care and increasing clinical nursing value.

Significant lake expansion has accelerated permafrost degradation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

In recent years, lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have become more responsive to climate change. In September 2011, Zonag Lake in Hoh Xil experienced sudden drainage, the water eventually flowed into Yanhu Lake, which caused Yanhu Lake to continue to expand. The potential collapse of Yanhu Lake could directly threaten the operational safety of the adjacent Qinghai-Tibet Highway, Qinghai-Tibet Railway. To explore the implications of expanding lakes on the surrounding permafrost, we selected Hoh Xil Yanhu Lake on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to study the effect of lake expansion on permafrost degradation. The permafrost degradation in the Yanhu Lake basin from October 2017 to December 2022 was inverted using Sentinel-1 satellite image data and small baseline subset interferometry synthetic aperture radar(SBAS-In SAR) technology. Additionally, permafrost degradation from February 2007 and February 2010 was analyzed using advanced land observing satellite phased array-type L-band synthetic aperture radar(ALOS PALSAR) satellite images and differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar(D-In SAR) technique. The results showed that the permafrost around Yanhu Lake experienced accelerated degradation. Prior to the expansion of Yanhu Lake, the average annual deformation rate along the line of sight(LOS) direction was 6.7 mm/yr. After the expansion, the rate increased to 20.9 mm/yr. The integration of spatial-temporal distribution maps of surface subsidence, Wudaoliang borehole geothermal data, meteorological data, Yanhu Lake surface area changes, and water level changes supports the assertion that the intensified permafrost degradation could be attributed to lake expansion rather than the rising air temperature. Furthermore, permafrost degradation around Yanhu Lake could impact vital infrastructure such as the adjacent Qinghai-Tibet Highway and Qinghai-Tibet Railway.

Exploring Paths for the High-Quality Development of Forest-Based Wel ness Industry:A Case Study of Sichuan Province

The forest-based wellness industry,as a rapidly growing sector that integrates various business forms with extensive coverage and an extended industrial chain,is undergoing rapid development due to the increasing aging population and people's suboptimal health conditions.As a forerunner in developing the forest-based wellness industry,Sichuan province is known for its early development,proactive efforts,diverse models,and significant impact in this industry.It has achieved certain milestones in terms of top-level design,pilot demonstration,standardized guidance,and public awareness campaigns to promote the development of this industry.Therefore,this paper utilizes Sichuan as a case study to systematically summarize and analyze the key practices made by the province in promoting the rapid development of the industry by investigating the development trajectory of the forest-based wellness industry.Additionally,it examines the development trends of this industry from the perspectives of supply,demand,and consumption.Finally,this paper proposes several measures to facilitate the high-quality development of the forest-based wellness industry.These measures encompass nurturing specialized talent in forest-based wellness,enhancing market players'capabilities in this domain,conducting extensive research on technologies that promote this industry,actively seeking support from relevant policies,and promoting integrated development across diverse sectors.

Research on the Generation Mechanism and Suppression Method of Aerodynamic Noise in Expansion Cavity Based on Hybrid Method

The expansion chamber serves as the primary silencing structure within the exhaust pipeline.However,it can also act as a sound-emitting structure when subjected to airflow.This article presents a hybrid method for numerically simulating and analyzing the unsteady flow and aerodynamic noise in an expansion chamber under the influence of airflow.A fluid simulation model is established,utilizing the Large Eddy Simulation(LES)method to calculate the unsteady flow within the expansion chamber.The simulation results effectively capture the development and changes of the unsteady flow and vorticity inside the cavity,exhibiting a high level of consistency with experimental observations.To calculate the aerodynamic noise sources within the cavity,the flow field results are integrated using the method of integral interpolation and inserted into the acoustic grid.The acoustic analogy method is then employed to determine the aerodynamic noise sources.An acoustic simulation model is established,and the flow noise source is imported into the sound field grid to calculate the sound pressure at the far-field response point.The calculated sound pressure levels and resonance frequencies show good agreement with the experimental results.To address the issue of airflow regeneration noise within the cavity,perforated tubes are selected as a means of noise suppression.An experimental platformfor airflow regeneration noise is constructed,and experimental samples are processed to analyze and verify the noise suppression effect of perforated tube expansion cavities under different airflow velocities.The research findings indicate that the perforated tube expansion cavity can effectively suppress low-frequency aerodynamic noise within the cavity by impeding the formation of strong shear layers.Moreover,the semi-perforated tube expansion cavity demonstrates the most effective suppression of aerodynamic noise.

Stochastic programming based coordinated expansion planning of generation,transmission,demand side resources,and energy storage considering the DC transmission system

With the increasing penetration of wind and solar energies,the accompanying uncertainty that propagates in the system places higher requirements on the expansion planning of power systems.A source-grid-load-storage coordinated expansion planning model based on stochastic programming was proposed to suppress the impact of wind and solar energy fluctuations.Multiple types of system components,including demand response service entities,converter stations,DC transmission systems,cascade hydropower stations,and other traditional components,have been extensively modeled.Moreover,energy storage systems are considered to improve the accommodation level of renewable energy and alleviate the influence of intermittence.Demand-response service entities from the load side are used to reduce and move the demand during peak load periods.The uncertainties in wind,solar energy,and loads were simulated using stochastic programming.Finally,the effectiveness of the proposed model is verified through numerical simulations.

The Impact of Digital Finance on High-Quality Development of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle

This paper developed a comprehensive evaluation system that was able to quantify the levels of high-quality development across the cities within the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle,and investigate the impact that digital finance had on the cities’high-quality development and the underlying mechanisms through which it achieved this.This comprehensive evaluation system was constructed using statistical data from these cities for the period 2014 to 2020 while also taking China’s high-quality development philosophy into account.The key findings revealed that:(a)Digital finance was able to significantly promote high-quality development in the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle;(b)Digital finance had a significant positive effect in promoting innovative,coordinated,green,open,and shared development;(c)Digital finance was able to stimulate the high-quality development in the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle by boosting entrepreneurial dynamism;(d)Digital finance had a significant impact on the high-quality development of the axis areas,while its impact was less discernible in non-axis areas.The insights from this research offer a deeper understanding of the factors that drive high-quality development,the role digital finance plays,and the mechanisms through which digital finance is able to propel high-quality development at the city cluster scale.

The Negative Thermal Expansion Property of NdMnO_(3) Based on Pores Effect and Phase Transition

A novel negative thermal expansion(NTE) material NdMnO_(3) was synthesized by solid-state method at 1 523 K. The crystal structure, phase transition, pores effect and negative expansion properties of NdMnO_(3) were investigated by variable temperature X-ray diffraction(XRD), scanning electron microscope(SEM) and variable temperature Raman spectra. The compound exhibits NTE properties in the orderly O' phase crystal structure. When the temperature is from 293 to 759 K, the ceramic NdMnO_(3) shows negative thermal expansion of-4.7×10^(-6)/K. As temperature increases, the ceramic NdMnO_(3) presents NTE property range from 759 to 1 007 K. The average linear expansion coefficient is-18.88×10^(-6)/K. The physical mechanism of NTE is discussed and clarified through experiments.

Data-Empowered High-Quality Economic Development: Mechanisms and Pathways

To achieve high-quality economic development,it is imperative to prioritize the real economy and foster new factors for economic growth.Data,as a new factor of production,plays a pivotal role in facilitating the seamless integration between digital technology and the real economy.It possesses inherent attributes and techno-economic characteristics that enable the extraction of value across various processes,including production,transaction,consumption,and regulatory supervision.The integration with digital technology enhances the productivity and efficiency of the real economy by facilitating service sector digitalization,accelerating the growth of the new real economy,and supporting the virtual economy in its role of serving the real economy.At present,unleashing the value of data is hindered by inadequate fundamental systems for the data,a lack of activity in the transaction market,and the underutilization of the data as a factor of production by enterprises in the real economy.Therefore,it is advised that data be fully utilized to develop the real economy through the four-pronged approach of“enhancing support for the high-quality provision of the data,expediting the integration of the data into the real economy,promoting the high-quality development of the real economy,and enhancing public service and governance systems”.

An Interpolation Method for Karhunen-Loève Expansion of Random Field Discretization

In the context of global mean square error concerning the number of random variables in the representation,the Karhunen–Loève(KL)expansion is the optimal series expansion method for random field discretization.The computational efficiency and accuracy of the KL expansion are contingent upon the accurate resolution of the Fredholm integral eigenvalue problem(IEVP).The paper proposes an interpolation method based on different interpolation basis functions such as moving least squares(MLS),least squares(LS),and finite element method(FEM)to solve the IEVP.Compared with the Galerkin method based on finite element or Legendre polynomials,the main advantage of the interpolation method is that,in the calculation of eigenvalues and eigenfunctions in one-dimensional random fields,the integral matrix containing covariance function only requires a single integral,which is less than a two-folded integral by the Galerkin method.The effectiveness and computational efficiency of the proposed interpolation method are verified through various one-dimensional examples.Furthermore,based on theKL expansion and polynomial chaos expansion,the stochastic analysis of two-dimensional regular and irregular domains is conducted,and the basis function of the extended finite element method(XFEM)is introduced as the interpolation basis function in two-dimensional irregular domains to solve the IEVP.

An agent-based model of agricultural land expansion in the mountain forest of Timor Island,Indonesia

The Mutis-Timau Forest Complex,located on Timor Island,Indonesia,is a mountainous tropical forest area that gradually decreases due to deforestation and forest degradation.Previous modelling studies based on patterns indicate that deforestation primarily occurs at lower elevations and near the boundaries of forests and settlements,often associated with shifting cultivation by local farmers.This study adopts a process-based modelling approach,specifically the agent-based model,to simulate land changes,particularly farmers'expansion of agricultural land around the Mutis mountain forest.The underlying concept of this agent-based approach is the interaction between the human and environmental systems.Farmers,representing the human system,interact with the land,which represents the environmental system,through land use decision-making mechanisms.The research was conducted in the Community Forest of the Timor Tengah Utara District,one of the sites within the Mutis-Timau Forest Complex with the highest deforestation rate.Land use change simulations were performed using agent-based modelling from 1999 to 2030,considering the socio-economic conditions of farmers,spatial preferences,land use decisions,and natural transitions.The results revealed that the agricultural area increased by 14%under the Business as Usual scenario and 5%under the Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation scenario,compared to the initial agricultural area of 245 hectares.The probability of farmers deciding to extend agricultural activities was positively associated with the number of livestock maintained by farmers and the size of the village area.Conversely,the likelihood of farmers opting for agricultural extensification decreased with an increase in the area of private land and the farmer's age.These findings are crucial for the managers of the Mutis-Timau Forest Complex and other relevant stakeholders,as they aid in arranging actions to combat deforestation,designing proper forest-related policies,and providing support for initiatives such as reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation programs or further incentive schemes.

Higher-order expansions of powered extremes of logarithmic general error distribution

In this paper,Let M_(n)denote the maximum of logarithmic general error distribution with parameter v≥1.Higher-order expansions for distributions of powered extremes M_(n)^(p)are derived under an optimal choice of normalizing constants.It is shown that M_(n)^(p),when v=1,converges to the Frechet extreme value distribution at the rate of 1/n,and if v>1 then M_(n)^(p)converges to the Gumbel extreme value distribution at the rate of(loglogn)^(2)=(log n)^(1-1/v).

Can Industrial Structure Upgrading Restrain Industrial Land Expansion?Evidence from China

China has made great achievements in industrial development and is transforming into a powerful manufacturing country.Meanwhile,the industrial land scale is also expanding.However,whether industrial structure upgrading achieves the purpose of restraining industrial land expansion remains unanswered.By calculating the industrial land structure index(ILSI)and industrial land expansion scale(ILES),this study analyzed their temporal and spatial distribution characteristics at both regional and city levels from 2007to 2020 in China.Results show that industrial land expansion presents a different trend in the four regions,the ILES in the eastern region is the largest,and the speed of industrial land expansion has declined since 2013,but it has gradually increased since 2016.The ILSI of the eastern and central regions is higher than that of the western and northeastern regions.Furthermore,a spatial Durbin model(SDM)has been established to estimate the spatial effect of industrial structure upgrading on industrial land expansion from 2007 to2020.Notably,industrial structure upgrading has not slowed industrial land expansion.The eastern and western regions require a greater amount of industrial land while upgrading the industrial structure.The improvement of the infrastructure level and international trade level has promoted industrial land expansion.

Adaptive Space Expansion for Fast Motion Planning

The sampling process is very inefficient for sam-pling-based motion planning algorithms that excess random sam-ples are generated in the planning space.In this paper,we pro-pose an adaptive space expansion(ASE)approach which belongs to the informed sampling category to improve the sampling effi-ciency for quickly finding a feasible path.The ASE method enlarges the search space gradually and restrains the sampling process in a sequence of small hyper-ellipsoid ring subsets to avoid exploring the unnecessary space.Specifically,for a con-structed small hyper-ellipsoid ring subset,if the algorithm cannot find a feasible path in it,then the subset is expanded.Thus,the ASE method successively does space exploring and space expan-sion until the final path has been found.Besides,we present a particular construction method of the hyper-ellipsoid ring that uniform random samples can be directly generated in it.At last,we present a feasible motion planner BiASE and an asymptoti-cally optimal motion planner BiASE*using the bidirectional exploring method and the ASE strategy.Simulations demon-strate that the computation speed is much faster than that of the state-of-the-art algorithms.The source codes are available at https://github.com/shshlei/ompl.

Modification of streamer-to-leader transition model based on radial thermal expansion in the sphere-plane gap discharge at high altitude

Historically,streamer-to-leader transition studies mainly focused on the rod-plane gap and low altitude analysis,with limited attention paid to the sphere-plane gap at high altitude analysis.In this work,sphere-plane gap discharge tests were carried out under the gap distance of 5 m at the Qinghai Ultra High Voltage(UHV)test base at an altitude of 2200 m.The experiments measured the physical parameters such as the discharge current,electric field intensity and instantaneous optical power.The duration of the dark period and the critical charge of streamer-toleader transition were obtained at high altitude.Based on radial thermal expansion of the streamer stem,we established a modified streamer-to-leader transition model of the sphere-plane gap discharge at high altitude,and calculated the stem temperature,stem radii and the duration of streamer-to-leader transition.Compared with the measured duration of sphere-plane electrode discharge at an altitude of 2200 m,the error rate of the modified model was 0.94%,while the classical model was 6.97%,demonstrating the effectiveness of the modified model.From the comparisons and analysis,several suggestions are proposed to improve the numerical model for further quantitative investigations of the leader inception.