Clinical manifestations,diagnosis and long-term prognosis of adult autoimmune enteropathy:Experience from Peking Union Medical College Hospital

BACKGROUND Autoimmune enteropathy(AIE)is a rare disease whose diagnosis and long-term prognosis remain challenging,especially for adult AIE patients.AIM To improve overall understanding of this disease’s diagnosis and prognosis.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the clinical,endoscopic and histopathological characteristics and prognoses of 16 adult AIE patients in our tertiary medical center between 2011 and 2023,whose diagnosis was based on the 2007 diagnostic criteria.RESULTS Diarrhea in AIE patients was characterized by secretory diarrhea.The common endoscopic manifestations were edema,villous blunting and mucosal hyperemia in the duodenum and ileum.Villous blunting(100%),deep crypt lymphocytic infiltration(67%),apoptotic bodies(50%),and mild intraepithelial lymphocytosis(69%)were observed in the duodenal biopsies.Moreover,there were other remarkable abnormalities,including reduced or absent goblet cells(duodenum 94%,ileum 62%),reduced or absent Paneth cells(duodenum 94%,ileum 69%)and neutrophil infiltration(duodenum 100%,ileum 69%).Our patients also fulfilled the 2018 diagnostic criteria but did not match the 2022 diagnostic criteria due to undetectable anti-enterocyte antibodies.All patients received glucocorticoid therapy as the initial medication,of which 14/16 patients achieved a clinical response in 5(IQR:3-20)days.Immunosuppressants were administered to 9 patients with indications of steroid dependence(6/9),steroid refractory status(2/9),or intensified maintenance medication(1/9).During the median of 20.5 months of followup,2 patients died from multiple organ failure,and 1 was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.The cumulative relapse-free survival rates were 62.5%,55.6%and 37.0%at 6 months,12 months and 48 months,respectively.CONCLUSION Certain histopathological findings,including a decrease or disappearance of goblet and Paneth cells in intestinal biopsies,might be potential diagnostic criteria for adult AIE.The long-term prognosis is still unsatisfactory despite corticosteroid and immunosuppressant medications,which highlights the need for early diagnosis and novel medications.

Investigating the elliptic anisotropy of identified particles in p-Pb collisions with a multi-phase transport model

The elliptic azimuthal anisotropy coefficient(v_(2))of the identified particles at midrapidity(|η|<0.8)was investigated in p-Pb collisions at√s_(NN)=5.02 TeV using a multi-phase transport model(AMPT).The calculations of differential v_(2)based on the advanced flow extraction method of light flavor hadrons(pions,kaons,protons,andΛ)in small collision systems were extended to a wider transverse momentum(p_(T))range of up to 8 GeV/c for the first time.The string-melting version of the AMPT model provides a good description of the measured p_(T)-differential v_(2)of the mesons but exhibits a slight deviation from the baryon v_(2).In addition,we observed the features of mass ordering at low p_(T)and the approximate number-of-constituentquark(NCQ)scaling at intermediate p_(T).Moreover,we demonstrate that hadronic rescattering does not have a significant impact on v_(2)in p-Pb collisions for different centrality selections,whereas partonic scattering dominates in generating the elliptic anisotropy of the final particles.This study provides further insight into the origin of collective-like behavior in small collision systems and has referential value for future measurements of azimuthal anisotropy.

Host-induced gene silencing of the Verticillium dahliae thiamine transporter protein gene(VdThit)confers resistance to Verticillium wilt in cotton

Verticillium wilt(VW),induced by the soil-borne fungus Verticillium dahliae(Vd),poses a substantial threat to a diverse array of plant species.Employing molecular breeding technology for the development of cotton varieties with heightened resistance to VW stands out as one of the most efficacious protective measures.In this study,we successfully generated two stable transgenic lines of cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.),VdThitRNAi-1 and VdThit-RNAi-2,using host-induced gene silencing(HIGS)technology to introduce double-stranded RNA(dsRNA)targeting the thiamine transporter protein gene(VdThit).Southern blot analysis confirmed the presence of a single-copy insertion in each line.Microscopic examination showed marked reductions in the colonization and spread of Vd-mCherry in the roots of VdThit-RNAi cotton compared to wild type(WT).The corresponding disease index and fungal biomass of VdThit-RNAi-1/2 also exhibited significant reductions.Real-time quantitative PCR(qRT-PCR)analysis demonstrated a substantial inhibition of VdThit expression following prolonged inoculation of VdThit-RNAi cotton.Small RNA sequencing(sRNA-Seq)analysis revealed the generation of a substantial number of VdThit-specific siRNAs in the VdThit-RNAi transgenic lines.Additionally,the silencing of VdThit by the siVdThit produced by VdThit-RNAi-1/2 resulted in the elevated expression of multiple genes involved in the thiamine biosynthesis pathway in Vd.Under field conditions,VdThit-RNAi transgenic cotton exhibited significantly enhanced disease resistance and yield compared with WT.In summary,our findings underscore the efficacy of HIGS targeting VdThit in restraining the infection and spread of Vd in cotton,thereby potentially enabling the development of cotton breeding as a promising strategy for managing VW.

Long-term outcomes after endoscopic removal of malignant colorectal polyps:Results from a 10-year cohort

BACKGROUND Choosing an optimal post-polypectomy management strategy of malignant colorectal polyps is challenging,and evidence regarding a surveillance-only strategy is limited.AIM To evaluate long-term outcomes after endoscopic removal of malignant colorectal polyps.METHODS A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate outcomes after endoscopic removal of malignant colorectal polyps between 2010 and 2020.Residual disease rate and nodal metastases after secondary surgery and local and distant recurrence rate for those with at least 1 year of follow-up were invest-igated.Event rates for categorical variables and means for continuous variables with 95%confidence intervals were calculated,and Fisher’s exact test and Mann-Whitney test were performed.Potential risk factors of adverse outcomes were RESULTS In total,135 lesions(mean size:22.1 mm;location:42%rectal)from 129 patients(mean age:67.7 years;56%male)were enrolled.The proportion of pedunculated and non-pedunculated lesions was similar,with en bloc resection in 82%and 47%of lesions,respectively.Tumor differentiation,distance from resection margins,depth of submucosal invasion,lymphovascular invasion,and budding were reported at 89.6%,45.2%,58.5%,31.9%,and 25.2%,respectively.Residual tumor was found in 10 patients,and nodal metastasis was found in 4 of 41 patients who underwent secondary surgical resection.Univariate analysis identified piecemeal resection as a risk factor for residual malignancy(odds ratio:1.74;P=0.042).At least 1 year of follow-up was available for 117 lesions from 111 patients(mean follow-up period:5.59 years).Overall,54%,30%,30%,11%,and 16%of patients presented at the 1-year,3-year,5-year,7-year,and 9-10-year surveillance examinations.Adverse outcomes occurred in 9.0%(local recurrence and dissemination in 4 patients and 9 patients,respectively),with no difference between patients undergoing secondary surgery and surveillance only.CONCLUSION Reporting of histological features and adherence to surveillance colonoscopy needs improvement.Long-term adverse outcome rates might be higher than previously reported,irrespective of whether secondary surgery was performed.

Identification of the lysine and histidine transporter family in Camellia sinensis and the characterizations in nitrogen utilization

In plants,the lysine and histidine transporter(LHT)family represent a class of proteins that mediate the uptake,translocation,and utilization of amino acids.The tea plant(Camellia sinensis)is a perennial evergreen with a relatively high level of amino acids.However,systematic identification and molecular characterization of the LHT gene family has rarely been reported in tea plants.In this study,22 CsLHTs were identified from the‘Shuchazao’genome and classified into two groups.The modeled three-dimensional structure and the conserved domains presented a high similarity among the LHTs proteins.Moreover,it was predicted that a few genes were conserved through the analysis of the physiochemical characters,structures and cis-elements in promoters.The expression patterns in tea plants revealed that CsLHT7 was mainly expressed in the roots,and CsLHT4 and CsLHT11 exhibited relatively high expression in both the roots and leaves.Moreover,the expression of all three genes could be induced by organic nitrogen.Additionally,heterogeneous expression of CsLHT4,CsLHT7 and CsLHT11 in Arabidopsis thaliana decreased the aerial parts biomass compared with that in WT plants while significantly increased the rosette biomass only for CsLHT11transgenic plants versus WT plants.Overall,our results provide fundamental information about CsLHTs and potential genes in N utilization for further analysis in tea plants.

Hydromechanical characterization of gas transport amidst uncertainty for underground nuclear explosion detection

Given the challenge of definitively discriminating between chemical and nuclear explosions using seismic methods alone,surface detection of signature noble gas radioisotopes is considered a positive identification of underground nuclear explosions(UNEs).However,the migration of signature radionuclide gases between the nuclear cavity and surface is not well understood because complex processes are involved,including the generation of complex fracture networks,reactivation of natural fractures and faults,and thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical(THMC)coupling of radionuclide gas transport in the subsurface.In this study,we provide an experimental investigation of hydro-mechanical(HM)coupling among gas flow,stress states,rock deformation,and rock damage using a unique multi-physics triaxial direct shear rock testing system.The testing system also features redundant gas pressure and flow rate measurements,well suited for parameter uncertainty quantification.Using porous tuff and tight granite samples that are relevant to historic UNE tests,we measured the Biot effective stress coefficient,rock matrix gas permeability,and fracture gas permeability at a range of pore pressure and stress conditions.The Biot effective stress coefficient varies from 0.69 to 1 for the tuff,whose porosity averages 35.3%±0.7%,while this coefficient varies from 0.51 to 0.78 for the tight granite(porosity<1%,perhaps an underestimate).Matrix gas permeability is strongly correlated to effective stress for the granite,but not for the porous tuff.Our experiments reveal the following key engineering implications on transport of radionuclide gases post a UNE event:(1)The porous tuff shows apparent fracture dilation or compression upon stress changes,which does not necessarily change the gas permeability;(2)The granite fracture permeability shows strong stress sensitivity and is positively related to shear displacement;and(3)Hydromechanical coupling among stress states,rock damage,and gas flow appears to be stronger in tight granite than in porous tuff.

Global characterization of OsPIP aquaporins reveals that the H_(2)O_(2)transporter OsPIP2;6 increases resistance to rice blast

Plasma membrane intrinsic proteins(PIPs)are conserved plant aquaporins that transport small molecules across the plasma membrane to trigger instant stress responses and maintain cellular homeostasis under biotic and abiotic stress.To elucidate their roles in plant immunity to pathogen attack,we characterized the expression patterns,subcellular localizations,and H_(2)O_(2)-transport ability of 11 OsPIPs in rice(Oryza sativa),and identified OsPIP2;6 as necessary for rice disease resistance.OsPIP2;6 resides on the plasma membrane and facilitates cytoplasmic import of the immune signaling molecule H_(2)O_(2).Knockout of OsPIP2;6 increases rice susceptibility to Magnaporthe oryzae,indicating a positive function in plant immunity.OsPIP2;6 interacts with OsPIP2;2,which has been reported to increase rice resistance to pathogens via H_(2)O_(2)transport.Our findings suggest that OsPIP2;6 cooperates with OsPIP2;2 as a defense signal transporter complex during plant–pathogen interaction.

Sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 inhibitors effects on myocardial function in patients with type 2 diabetes and asymptomatic heart failure

BACKGROUND Sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 inhibitors(SGLT2i)have shown efficacy in reducing heart failure(HF)burden in a very heterogeneous groups of patients,raising doubts about some contemporary assumptions of their mechanism of action.We previously published a prospective observational study that evaluated mechanisms of action of SGLT2i in patients with type 2 diabetes who were in HF stages A and B on dual hypoglycemic therapy.Two groups of patients were included in the study:the ones receiving SGLT2i as an add-on agent to metformin and the others on dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors as an add-on to metformin due to suboptimal glycemic control.AIM To evaluate the outcomes regarding natriuretic peptide,oxidative stress,inflammation,blood pressure,heart rate,cardiac function,and body weight.METHODS The study outcomes were examined by dividing each treatment arm into two subgroups according to baseline parameters of global longitudinal strain(GLS),N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide,myeloperoxidase(MPO),high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hsCRP),and systolic and diastolic blood pressure.To evaluate the possible predictors of observed changes in the SGLT2i arm during follow-up,a rise in stroke volume index,body mass index(BMI)decrease,and lack of heart rate increase,linear regression analysis was performed.RESULTS There was a greater reduction of MPO,hsCRP,GLS,and blood pressure in the groups with higher baseline values of mentioned parameters irrespective of the therapeutic arm after 6 months of follow-up.Significant independent predictors of heart rate decrease were a reduction in early mitral inflow velocity to early diastolic mitral annular velocity at the interventricular septal annulus ratio and BMI,while the predictor of stroke volume index increase was SGLT2i therapy itself.CONCLUSION SGLT2i affect body composition,reduce cardiac load,improve diastolic/systolic function,and attenuate the sympathetic response.Glycemic control contributes to the improvement of heart function,blood pressure control,oxidative stress,and reduction in inflammation.

Inward particle transport driven by biased endplate in a cylindrical magnetized plasma

The inward particle transport is associated with the formation of peaked density profiles,which contributes to improve the fusion rate and the realization of steady-state discharge.The active control of inward particle transport is considered as one of the most critical issues of magnetic confinement fusion.Recently,it is realized preliminarily by adding a biased endplate in the Peking University Plasma Test(PPT)device.The results reveal that the inward particle flux increases with the bias voltage of the endplate.It is also found that the profile of radial electric field(Er)shear is flattened by the increased bias voltage.Radial velocity fluctuations affect the inward particle more than density fluctuations,and the frequency of the dominant mode driving inward particle flux increases with the biased voltage applied to the endplate.The experimental results in the PPT device provide a method to actively control the inward particle flux using a biased endplate and enrich the understanding of the relationship between E_(r)×B shear and turbulence transport.

Impact of T_(i)/T_(e )ratio on ion transport based on EAST H-mode plasmas

At the EAST tokamak, the ion temperature(T_(i)) is observed to be clamped around 1.25 keV in electron cyclotron resonance(ECR)-heated plasmas, even at core electron temperatures up to 10 keV(depending on the ECR heating power and the plasma density). This clamping results from the lack of direct ion heating and high levels of turbulence-driven transport. Turbulent transport analysis shows that trapped electron mode and electron temperature gradient-driven modes are the most unstable modes in the core of ECR-heated H-mode plasmas. Nevertheless, recently it was found that the T_(i)/T_(e)ratio can increase further with the fraction of the neutral beam injection(NBI) power, which leads to a higher core ion temperature(Ti0). In NBI heating-dominant H-mode plasmas, the ion temperature gradient-driven modes become the most unstable modes.Furthermore, a strong and broad internal transport barrier(ITB) can form at the plasma core in high-power NBI-heated H-mode plasmas when the T_(i)/T_(e)ratio approaches ~1, which results in steep core Teand Tiprofiles, as well as a peaked neprofile. Power balance analysis shows a weaker Teprofile stiffness after the formation of ITBs in the core plasma region, where Ticlamping is broken,and the core Tican increase further above 2 keV, which is 80% higher than the value of Ticlamping in ECR-heated plasmas. This finding proposes a possible solution to the problem of Ticlamping on EAST and demonstrates an advanced operational regime with the formation of a strong and broad ITB for future fusion plasmas dominated by electron heating.

A new review of single-ion conducting polymer electrolytes in the light of ion transport mechanisms

With the depletion of fossil fuels and the demand for high-performance energy storage devices,solidstate lithium metal batteries have received widespread attention due to their high energy density and safety advantages.Among them,the earliest developed organic solid-state polymer electrolyte has a promising future due to its advantages such as good mechanical flexibility,but its poor ion transport performance dramatically limits its performance improvement.Therefore,single-ion conducting polymer electrolytes(SICPEs)with high lithium-ion transport number,capable of improving the concentration polarization and inhibiting the growth of lithium dendrites,have been proposed,which provide a new direction for the further development of high-performance organic polymer electrolytes.In view of this,lithium ions transport mechanisms and design principles in SICPEs are summarized and discussed in this paper.The modification principles currently used can be categorized into the following three types:enhancement of lithium salt anion-polymer interactions,weakening of lithium salt anion-cation interactions,and modulation of lithium ion-polymer interactions.In addition,the advances in single-ion conductors of conventional and novel polymer electrolytes are summarized,and several typical highperformance single-ion conductors are enumerated and analyzed in what way they improve ionic conductivity,lithium ions mobility,and the ability to inhibit lithium dendrites.Finally,the advantages and design methodology of SICPEs are summarized again and the future directions are outlined.

Discrete Choice Models and Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Predicting the Determinants of Transport Mode Choice--A Systematic Review

Forecasting travel demand requires a grasp of individual decision-making behavior.However,transport mode choice(TMC)is determined by personal and contextual factors that vary from person to person.Numerous characteristics have a substantial impact on travel behavior(TB),which makes it important to take into account while studying transport options.Traditional statistical techniques frequently presume linear correlations,but real-world data rarely follows these presumptions,which may make it harder to grasp the complex interactions.Thorough systematic review was conducted to examine how machine learning(ML)approaches might successfully capture nonlinear correlations that conventional methods may ignore to overcome such challenges.An in-depth analysis of discrete choice models(DCM)and several ML algorithms,datasets,model validation strategies,and tuning techniques employed in previous research is carried out in the present study.Besides,the current review also summarizes DCM and ML models to predict TMC and recognize the determinants of TB in an urban area for different transport modes.The two primary goals of our study are to establish the present conceptual frameworks for the factors influencing the TMC for daily activities and to pinpoint methodological issues and limitations in previous research.With a total of 39 studies,our findings shed important light on the significance of considering factors that influence the TMC.The adjusted kernel algorithms and hyperparameter-optimized ML algorithms outperform the typical ML algorithms.RF(random forest),SVM(support vector machine),ANN(artificial neural network),and interpretable ML algorithms are the most widely used ML algorithms for the prediction of TMC where RF achieved an R2 of 0.95 and SVM achieved an accuracy of 93.18%;however,the adjusted kernel enhanced the accuracy of SVM 99.81%which shows that the interpretable algorithms outperformed the typical algorithms.The sensitivity analysis indicates that the most significant parameters influencing TMC are the age,total trip time,and the number of drivers.

Tailoring Iron-Ion Release of Cellulose-Based Aerogel-Coated Iron Foam for Long-Term High-Power Microbial Fuel Cells

The presence of iron(Fe) has been found to favor power generation in microbial fuel cells(MFCs). To achieve long-term power production in MFCs, it is crucial to effectively tailor the release of Fe ions over extended operating periods. In this study, we developed a composite anode(A/IF) by coating iron foam with cellulose-based aerogel. The concentration of Fe ions in the anode solution of A/IF anode reaches 0.280 μg/mL(Fe^(2+) vs. Fe^(3+) = 61%:39%) after 720 h of aseptic primary cell operation. This value was significantly higher than that(0.198 μg/mL, Fe^(2+) vs. Fe^(3+) = 92%:8%) on uncoated iron foam(IF), indicating a continuous release of Fe ions over long-term operation. Notably, the resulting MFCs hybrid cell exhibited a 23% reduction in Fe ion concentration(compared to a 47% reduction for the IF anode) during the sixth testing cycle(600-720 h). It achieved a high-power density of 301 ± 55 mW/m^(2) at 720 h, which was 2.62 times higher than that of the IF anode during the same period. Furthermore, a sedimentary microbial fuel cell(SMFCs) was constructed in a marine environment, and the A/IF anode demonstrated a power density of 103 ± 3 mW/m^(2) at 3240 h, representing a 75% improvement over the IF anode. These findings elucidate the significant enhancement in long-term power production performance of MFCs achieved through effective tailoring of Fe ions release during operation.

Effects of shore-normal coastal structure on medium-to long-term embayed shoreline evolution

Based on high-tide shoreline data extracted from 87 Landsat satellite images from 1986 to 2019 as well as using the linear regression rate and performing a Mann-Kendall(M–K)trend test,this study analyzes the linear characteristics and nonlinear behavior of the medium-to long-term shoreline evolution of Jinghai Bay,eastern Guangdong Province.In particular,shoreline rotation caused by a shore-normal coastal structure is emphasized.The results show that the overall shoreline evolution over the past 30 years is characterized by erosion on the southwest beach,with an average erosion rate of 3.1 m/a,and significant accretion on the northeast beach,with an average accretion rate of 5.6 m/a.Results of the M–K trend test indicate that significant shoreline changes occurred in early 2006,which can be attributed to shore-normal engineering.Prior to that engineering construction,the shorelines are slightly eroded,where the average erosion rate is 0.7 m/a.However,after shore-normal engineering is performed,the shoreline is characterized by significant erosion(3.2 m/a)on the southwest beach and significant accretion(8.5 m/a)on the northeast beach,thus indicating that the shore-normal engineering at the updrift headland contributes to clockwise shoreline rotation.Further analysis shows that the clockwise shoreline rotation is promoted not only by longshore sediment transport processes from southwest to northeast,but also by cross-shore sediment transport processes.These findings are crucial for beach erosion risk management,coastal disaster zoning,regional sediment budget assessments,and further observations and predictions of beach morphodynamics.

Effects of Rattling Behavior of K and Cd Atoms along Different Directions in Anisotropic KCdAs on Lattice Thermal Transport and Thermoelectric Properties

We employ advanced first principles methodology,merging self-consistent phonon theory and the Boltzmann transport equation,to comprehensively explore the thermal transport and thermoelectric properties of KCdAs.Notably,the study accounts for the impact of quartic anharmonicity on phonon group velocities in the pursuit of lattice thermal conductivity and investigates 3ph and 4ph scattering processes on phonon lifetimes.Through various methodologies,including examining atomic vibrational modes and analyzing 3ph and 4ph scattering processes,the article unveils microphysical mechanisms contributing to the lowκL within KCdAs.Key features include significant anisotropy in Cd atoms,pronounced anharmonicity in K atoms,and relative vibrations in non-equivalent As atomic layers.Cd atoms,situated between As layers,exhibit rattling modes and strong lattice anharmonicity,contributing to the observed lowκL.Remarkably flat bands near the valence band maximum translate into high PF,aligning with ultralowκL for exceptional thermoelectric performance.Under optimal temperature and carrier concentration doping,outstanding ZT values are achieved:4.25(a(b)-axis,p-type,3×10^(19)cm^(−3),500 K),0.90(c-axis,p-type,5×10^(20)cm^(−3),700 K),1.61(a(b)-axis,n-type,2×10^(18)cm^(−3),700 K),and 3.06(c-axis,n-type,9×10^(17)cm^(−3),700 K).

Increased excitatory amino acid transporter 2 levels in basolateral amygdala astrocytes mediate chronic stress–induced anxiety-like behavior

The conventional perception of astrocytes as mere supportive cells within the brain has recently been called into question by empirical evidence, which has revealed their active involvement in regulating brain function and encoding behaviors associated with emotions.Specifically, astrocytes in the basolateral amygdala have been found to play a role in the modulation of anxiety-like behaviors triggered by chronic stress. Nevertheless, the precise molecular mechanisms by which basolateral amygdala astrocytes regulate chronic stress–induced anxiety-like behaviors remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, we found that in a mouse model of anxiety triggered by unpredictable chronic mild stress, the expression of excitatory amino acid transporter 2 was upregulated in the basolateral amygdala. Interestingly, our findings indicate that the targeted knockdown of excitatory amino acid transporter 2 specifically within the basolateral amygdala astrocytes was able to rescue the anxiety-like behavior in mice subjected to stress. Furthermore, we found that the overexpression of excitatory amino acid transporter 2 in the basolateral amygdala, whether achieved through intracranial administration of excitatory amino acid transporter 2agonists or through injection of excitatory amino acid transporter 2-overexpressing viruses with GfaABC1D promoters, evoked anxiety-like behavior in mice. Our single-nucleus RNA sequencing analysis further confirmed that chronic stress induced an upregulation of excitatory amino acid transporter 2 specifically in astrocytes in the basolateral amygdala. Moreover, through in vivo calcium signal recordings, we found that the frequency of calcium activity in the basolateral amygdala of mice subjected to chronic stress was higher compared with normal mice.After knocking down the expression of excitatory amino acid transporter 2 in the basolateral amygdala, the frequency of calcium activity was not significantly increased, and anxiety-like behavior was obviously mitigated. Additionally, administration of an excitatory amino acid transporter 2 inhibitor in the basolateral amygdala yielded a notable reduction in anxiety level among mice subjected to stress. These results suggest that basolateral amygdala astrocytic excitatory amino acid transporter 2 plays a role in in the regulation of unpredictable chronic mild stress-induced anxiety-like behavior by impacting the activity of local glutamatergic neurons, and targeting excitatory amino acid transporter 2 in the basolateral amygdala holds therapeutic promise for addressing anxiety disorders.

J-TEXT achievements in turbulence and transport in support of future device/reactor

Following the reconstruction of the TEXT tokamak at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China, renamed as J-TEXT, a plethora of experimental and theoretical investigations has been conducted to elucidate the intricacies of turbulent transport within the tokamak configuration. These endeavors encompass not only the J-TEXT device's experimental advancements but also delve into critical issues pertinent to the optimization of future fusion devices and reactors. The research includes topics on the suppression of turbulence, flow drive and damping, density limit, non-local transport, intrinsic toroidal flow, turbulence and flow with magnetic islands, turbulent transport in the stochastic layer, and turbulence and zonal flow with energetic particles or helium ash. Several important achievements have been made in the last few years, which will be further elaborated upon in this comprehensive review.

Long radial coherence of electron temperature fluctuations in non-local transport in HL-2A plasmas

The dynamics of long-wavelength(kθ<1.4 cm^(-1)),broadband(20 kHz–200 kHz)electron temperature fluctuations(Te/Te)of plasmas in gas-puff experiments are observed for the first time in HL-2A tokamak.In a relatively low density(ne(0)■0.91×10^(19)m^(-3)–1.20×10^(19)m^(-3))scenario,after gas-puffing the core temperature increases and the edge temperature drops.On the contrary,temperature fluctuation drops at the core and increases at the edge.Analyses show the non-local emergence is accompanied with a long radial coherent length of turbulent fluctuations.While in a higher density(ne(0)?1.83×10^(19)m^(-3)–2.02×10^(19)m^(-3))scenario,the phenomena are not observed.Furthermore,compelling evidence indicates that E×B shear serves as a substantial contributor to this extensive radial interaction.This finding offers a direct explanatory link to the intriguing core-heating phenomenon witnessed within the realm of non-local transport.

Long-Term Performance and Microstructural Characterization of Dam Concrete in the Three Gorges Project

This study investigates the long-term performance of laboratory dam concrete in different curing environments over ten years and the microstructure of 17-year-old laboratory concrete and actual concrete cores drilled from the Three Gorges Dam.The mechanical properties of the laboratory dam concrete,whether cured in natural or standard environments,continued to improve over time.Furthermore,the laboratory dam concrete exhibited good resistance to diffusion and a refined microstructure after 17 years.However,curing and long-term exposure to the local natural environment reduced the frost resistance.Microstructural analyses of the laboratory concrete samples demonstrated that moderate-heat cement and fine fly ash(FA)particles were almost fully hydrated to form compact micro structures consisting of large quantities of homogeneous calcium(alumino)silicate hydrate(C-(A)-S-H)gels and a few crystals.No obvious interfacial transition zones were observed in the microstructure owing to the longterm pozzolanic reaction.This dense and homogenous microstructure was the crucial reason for the excellent long-term performance of the dam concrete.A high FA volume also played a significant role in the microstructural densification and performance growth of dam concrete at a later age.The concrete drilled from the dam surface exhibited a loose microstructure with higher microporosity,indicating that concrete directly exposed to the actual service environment suffered degradation caused by water and wind attacks.In this study,both macro-performance and microstructural analyses revealed that the application of moderate-heat cement and FA resulted in a dense and homogenous microstructure,which ensured the excellent long-term performance of concrete from the Three Gorges Dam after 17 years.Long-term exposure to an actual service environment may lead to microstructural degradation of the concrete surface.Therefore,the retained long-term dam concrete samples need to be further researched to better understand its microstructural evolution and development of its properties.

Transport properties of Hall-type quantum states in disordered bismuthene

Bismuthene,an inherently hexagonal structure characterized by a huge bulk gap,offers a versatile platform for investigating the electronic transport of various topological quantum states.Using nonequilibrium Green's function method and Landauer-Büttiker formula,we thoroughly investigate the transport properties of various Hall-type quantum states,including quantum spin Hall(QSH)edge states,quantum valley Hall kink(QVHK)states,and quantum spin-valley Hall kink(QSVHK)states,in the presence of various disorders.Based on the exotic transport features,a spin-valley filter,capable of generating a highly spin-and valley-polarized current,is proposed.The valley index and the spin index of the filtered QSVHK state are determined by the staggered potential and the intrinsic spin-orbit coupling,respectively.The efficiency of the spin-valley filter is supported by the spacial current distribution,the valley-resolved conductance,and the spin-resolved conductance.Compared with a sandwich structure for QSVHK,our proposed spin-valley filter can work with a much smaller size and is more accessible in the experiment.