Farm buildings and agri-food transitions in Southern France:Mapping dynamics using a stakeholder-based diagnosis

This study's goal is to present a dynamic portrait of the farm-buildings environment in Occitania,in Southern France,in order to better identify the transitions underway in agri-food chains.To this end,we undertook a ter-ritorial diagnosis based on actor statements,using 28 semi-structured interviews across Occitania.This diagnosis was enriched by graphic modelling,which enabled the spatialization of the dynamics described.We show that the process of standardisation of farm buildings prevails in the majority of the territories studied.This phenomenon has intensified in recent years with the development of vast photovoltaic-roofed sheds,accentuating the farm-land conversion and soil sealing.At the same time,in areas with strong environmental,landscape and heritage contexts,a'new adventure in farm buildings'(2022 survey)is taking shape.It is primarily driven by local short food chains,which rely on self-construction,repurposing and refurbishment,the sharing of tools and equipment,and which favour the use and reuse of local resources.This study shows that farm-buildings dynamics crystallise many challenges confronting the reterritorialisation of agriculture and food production.

Assessment of challenges and strategies for driving energy transitions in emerging markets:A socio-technological systems perspective

The pursuit of improved quality of life standards has significantly influenced the contemporary mining model in the 21st century.This era is witnessing an unprecedented transformation driven by pressing concerns related to sustainability,climate change,the just energy transition,dynamic operating environments,and complex social challenges.Such transitions present both opportunities and obstacles.The aim of this study is to provide an extensive literature review on energy transition to identify the challenges and strategies associated with navigating transformations in energy systems.Understanding these transformations is particularly critical in the face of the severe consequences of global warming,where an accelerated energy transition is viewed as a universal remedy.Adopting a socio-technological systems perspective,specifically through the application of Actor Network Theory(ANT),this research provides a theoretical foundation while categorising challenges into five distinct domains and outlining strategies across these different dimensions.These insights are specifically tailored for emerging market countries to effectively navigate energy transition while fostering the development of resilient societies.Furthermore,our findings highlight that energy transition encompasses more than a mere technological shift;it entails fundamental changes in various systemic socio-economic imperatives.Through focusing on the role of social structures in transitions,this study makes a significant and innovative contribution to ANT,which has historically been criticised for its limited acknowledgement of social structures.Consequently,we propose an emerging market energy transition framework,which not only addresses technological aspects,but also integrates social considerations.This framework paves the way for future research and exploration of energy transition dynamics.The outcomes of this study offer valuable insights to policymakers,researchers,and practitioners engaged in the mining industry,enabling them to comprehend the multifaceted challenges involved and providing practical strategies for effective resolution.Through incorporating the social dimension into the analysis,we enhance the understanding of the complex nature of energy system transformations,facilitating a more holistic approach towards achieving sustainable and resilient energy transitions in emerging markets and beyond.

Crystal structure,phase transitions,and thermodynamic properties of magnesium metavanadate(MgV_(2)O_(6))

As a promising anode material for magnesium ion rechargeable batteries,magnesium metavanadate(MgV_(2)O_(6))has attracted considerable research interest in recent years.A MgV_(2)O_(6)sample was synthesized via a facile solid-state reaction by multistep-firing stoichiometric mixtures of MgO and V2O5 powder under an air atmosphere.The solid-state phase transition fromα-MgV_(2)O_(6)toβ-MgV_(2)O_(6)occurred at 841 K and the enthalpy change was 4.37±0.04 kJ/mol.The endothermic effect at 1014 K and the enthalpy change was 26.54±0.26 kJ/mol,which is related to the incongruent melting ofβ-MgV_(2)O_(6).In situ XRD was performed to investigate phase transition of the as-prepared MgV_(2)O_(6)at high temperatures.The cell parameters obtained by Rietveld refinement indicated that it crystallizes in a monoclinic system with the C2/m space group,and the lattice parameters of a=9.280 A°,b=3.501 A°,c=6.731 A°,β=111.76°.The solid-state phase transition fromα-MgV_(2)O_(6)toβ-MgV_(2)O_(6)was further studied by thermal kinetics,indicating that this process is controlled first by a fibril-like mechanism and then by a spherulitic-type mechanism with an increasing heating rate.Additionally,the enthalpy change of MgV_(2)O_(6)at high temperatures was measured utilizing the drop calorimetry,heat capacity was calculated and given as:Cp=208.3+0.03583T-4809000T^(−2)(298-923 K)(J mol^(−1)K^(−1)),the high-temperature heat capacity can be used to calculate Gibbs free energy of MgV_(2)O_(6)at high temperatures.

Pressure-induced structural,electronic,and superconducting phase transitions in TaSe_(3)

TaSe_(3)has garnered significant research interests due to its unique quasi-one-dimensional crystal structure,which gives rise to distinctive properties.Using crystal structure search and first-principles calculations,we systematically investigated the pressure-induced structural and electronic phase transitions of quasi-one-dimensional TaSe_(3)up to 100 GPa.In addition to the ambient pressure phase(P2_(1)/m-I),we identified three high-pressure phases:P2_(1)/m-II,Pnma,and Pmma.For the P2_(1)/m-I phase,the inclusion of spin-orbit coupling(SOC)results in significant SOC splitting and changes in the band inversion characteristics.Furthermore,band structure calculations for the three high-pressure phases indicate metallic natures,and the electron localization function suggests ionic bonding between Ta and Se atoms.Our electron-phonon coupling calculations reveal a superconducting critical temperature of approximately 6.4 K for the Pmma phase at 100 GPa.This study provides valuable insights into the high-pressure electronic behavior of quasi-one-dimensional TaSe_(3).

Pressure-induced structural transitions and metallization in ZrSe_(2)

High-pressure studies of two-dimensional materials have revealed numerous novel properties and physical mechanisms behind them.As a typical material of transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs),ZrSe_(2)exhibits high carrier mobility,rich electronic states regulated by doping,and high potential in applications at ambient pressure.However,the properties of ZrSe_(2)under pressure are still not clear,especially for the structural and electrical properties.Here,we report the investigation of ZrSe_(2)under pressure up to 66.5 GPa by in-situ x-ray diffraction,Raman,electrical transport measurements,and first-principles calculations.Two structural phase transitions occur in ZrSe_(2)at 8.3 GPa and 31.5 GPa,from P-3m1 symmetry to P2_(1)/m symmetry,and finally transformed into a non-layer I4/mmm symmetry structure.Pressure-induced metallic transition is observed at around 19.4 GPa in phaseⅡwhich aligns well with the results of the calculation.Our work will help to improve the understanding of the evolution of the structure and electrical transport properties of two-dimensional materials.

Complete Universal Scaling in First-Order Phase Transitions

Phase transitions and critical phenomena are among the most intriguing phenomena in nature and society.They are classified into first-order phase transitions(FOPTs)and continuous ones.While the latter shows marvelous phenomena of scaling and universality,whether the former behaves similarly is a long-standing controversial issue.Here we definitely demonstrate complete universal scaling in field driven FOPTs for Langevin equations in both zero and two spatial dimensions by rescaling all parameters and subtracting nonuniversal contributions with singular dimensions from an effective temperature and a special field according to an effective theory.This offers a perspective different from the usual nucleation and growth but conforming to continuous phase transitions to study FOPTs.

New approach to measuring topological phase transitions utilizing Floquet technology

The Floquet technique provides a novel anomalous topological phase for non-equilibrium phase transitions.Based on the high symmetry of the quantum anomalous Hall model,the findings suggest a one-to-one correspondence between the average spin texture and the Floquet quasi-energy spectrum.A new approach is proposed to directly measure the quasienergy spectrum,replacing previous measurements of the average spin texture.Finally,we proposed a reliable experimental scheme based on ion trap platforms.This scheme markedly reduces the measurement workload,improves the measurement fidelity,and is applicable to multiple platforms such as cold atoms and nuclear magnetic resonance.

Metal-to-insulator transitions in 3d-band correlated oxides containing Fe compositions

Metal-to-insulator transitions (MITs),which are achieved in 3d-band correlated transitional metal oxides,trigger abrupt variations in electrical,optical,and/or magnetic properties beyond those of conventional semiconductors.Among such material families,iron(Fe:3d^(6)4s^(2))-containing oxides pique interest owing to their widely tunable MIT properties,which are associated with the various valence states of Fe.Their potential electronic applications also show promise,given the large abundance of Fe on Earth.Representative MIT properties triggered by critical temperature (TMIT) were reported for ReFe_(2)O_(4)(Fe^(2.5+)),ReBaFe_(2)O_(5)(Fe^(2.5+)),Fe_(3)O_(4)(Fe^(2.67+)),Re_(1/3)Sr_(2/3)FeO_(3)(Fe^(3.67+)),Re Cu_(3)Fe_(4)O_(12)(Fe^(3.75+)),and Ca_(1-x)Sr_(x)FeO_(3)(Fe^(4+))(where Re represents rare-earth elements).The common feature of MITs of these Fe-containing oxides is that they are usually accompanied by charge ordering transitions or disproportionation associated with the valence states of Fe.Herein,we review the material family of Fe-containing MIT oxides,their MIT functionalities,and their respective mechanisms.From the perspective of potentially correlated electronic applications,the tunability of the TMITand its resultant resistive change in Fe-containing oxides are summarized and further compared with those of other materials exhibiting MIT functionality.In particular,we highlight the abrupt MIT and wide tunability of TMITof Fe-containing quadruple perovskites,such as Re Cu3Fe4O12.However,their effective material synthesis still needs to be further explored to cater to potential applications.

Triple points and phase transitions of D-dimensional dyonic Ad S black holes with quasitopological electromagnetism in Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet gravity

By considering the negative cosmological constant Λ as a thermodynamic pressure, we study the thermodynamics and phase transitions of the D-dimensional dyonic Ad S black holes(BHs) with quasitopological electromagnetism in Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet(EGB) gravity. The results indicate that the small/large BH phase transition that is similar to the van der Waals(vdW) liquid/gas phase transition always exists for any spacetime dimensions. Interestingly, we then find that this BH system exhibits a more complex phase structure in 6-dimensional case that is missed in other dimensions.Specifically, it shows for D = 6 that we observed the small/intermediate/large BH phase transitions in a specific parameter region with the triple point naturally appeared. Moreover, when the magnetic charge turned off, we still observed the small/intermediate/large BH phase transitions and triple point only in 6-dimensional spacetime, which is consistent with the previous results. However, for the dyonic Ad S BHs with quasitopological electromagnetism in Einstein–Born–Infeld(EBI) gravity, the novel phase structure composed of two separate coexistence curves observed by Li et al. [Phys. Rev. D105 104048(2022)] disappeared in EGB gravity. This implies that this novel phase structure is closely related to gravity theories, and seems to have nothing to do with the effect of quasitopological electromagnetism. In addition, it is also true that the critical exponents calculated near the critical points possess identical values as mean field theory. Finally, we conclude that these findings shall provide some deep insights into the intriguing thermodynamic properties of the dyonic Ad S BHs with quasitopological electromagnetism in EGB gravity.

Simulation of mode transitions in capacitively coupled Ar/O_(2) plasmas

In this work,the effects of the frequency,pressure,gas composition,and secondary-electron emission coefficient on the discharge mode in capacitively coupled Ar/O_(2) plasmas were carefully studied through simulations.Three discharge modes,i.e.,α,γ,and drift-ambipolar(DA),were considered in this study.The results show that a mode transition from theγ-DA hybrid mode dominated by theγmode to the DA-αhybrid mode dominated by the DA mode is induced by increasing the frequency from 100 k Hz to 40 MHz.Furthermore,the electron temperature decreases with increasing frequency,while the plasma density first decreases and then increases.It was found that the electronegativity increases slightly with increasing pressure in the lowfrequency region,and it increases notably with increasing pressure in the high-frequency region.It was also observed that the frequency corresponding to the mode transition fromγto DA decreased when the secondary-electron emission coefficient was decreased.Finally,it was found that increasing the oxygen content weakens theγmode and enhances the DA mode.More importantly,the density of oxygen atoms and ozone will increase greatly with increasing oxygen content,which is of great significance for industrial applications.

Water Photomolecular Evaporation Due to Light-Mediated Ortho-Para Spin Transitions

Recent discoveries have revealed a groundbreaking phenomenon where light alone, without any thermal input, can induce water evaporation, termed the “photomolecular effect”. This study explores a novel hypothesis that this effect can be explained by ortho-para magnetic spin interactions in water molecules within the water-air interface layer. Water molecules, consisting of hydrogen and oxygen, exhibit different nuclear spin states: ortho-(triplet) and para-(singlet). The interaction of polarized light with these spin states may induce transitions between the rotational levels of ortho- and para-forms due to catalysts like triplet oxygen (O2) in its inhomogeneous magnetic field. Resonance pumping at 532 nm (~18,797 cm−1) due to the transition v1-v2-v3 ~ 0-8-2 (~18,796 cm−1) results in an increase in molecular energy sufficient to overcome intermolecular forces at the water surface, thereby causing evaporation. The proposed ortho-para conversion mechanism involves spin-orbit coupling and specific resonance conditions. This theory provides a quantum mechanical perspective on the photomolecular effect, potentially offering insights into natural processes such as cloud formation and climate modeling, as well as practical applications in solar desalination and industrial drying. Further experimental validation is required to confirm the role of spin interactions in light-induced water evaporation.

RGS4 promotes the progression of gastric cancer through the focal adhesion kinase/phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition

BACKGROUND Regulator of G protein signaling(RGS)proteins participate in tumor formation and metastasis by acting on theα-subunit of heterotrimeric G proteins.The speci-fic effect of RGS,particularly RGS4,on the progression of gastric cancer(GC)is not yet clear.AIM To explore the role and underlying mechanisms of action of RGS4 in GC develop-ment.METHODS The prognostic significance of RGS4 in GC was analyzed using bioinformatics based public databases and verified by immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 90 patients with GC.Function assays were employed to assess the carcinogenic impact of RGS4,and the mechanism of its possible influence was detected by western blot analysis.A nude mouse xenograft model was established to study the effects of RGS4 on GC growth in vitro.RESULTS RGS4 was highly expressed in GC tissues compared with matched adjacent normal tissues.Elevated RGS4 expression was correlated with increased tumor-node-metastasis stage,increased tumor grade as well as poorer overall survival in patients with GC.Cell experiments demonstrated that RGS4 knockdown suppressed GC cell proliferation,migration and invasion.Similarly,xenograft experiments confirmed that RGS4 silencing significantly inhibited tumor growth.Moreover,RGS4 knockdown resulted in reduced phosphorylation levels of focal adhesion kinase,phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase,and protein kinase B,decreased vimentin and N-cadherin,and elevated E-cadherin.CONCLUSION High RGS4 expression in GC indicates a worse prognosis and RGS4 is a prognostic marker.RGS4 influences tumor progression via the focal adhesion kinase/phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Bearing Fault Diagnosis Based on the Markov Transition Field and SE-IShufflenetV2 Model

A bearing fault diagnosis method based on the Markov transitionfield(MTF)and SEnet(SE)-IShufflenetV2 model is proposed in this paper due to the problems of complex working conditions,low fault diagnosis accuracy,and poor generalization of rolling bearing.Firstly,MTF is used to encode one-dimensional time series vibration sig-nals and convert them into time-dependent and unique two-dimensional feature images.Then,the generated two-dimensional dataset is fed into the SE-IShufflenetV2 model for training to achieve fault feature extraction and classification.This paper selects the bearing fault datasets from Case Western Reserve University and Paderborn University to experimentally verify the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method.The generalization performance of the proposed method is tested under the variable load condition and different signal-to-noise ratios(SNRs).The experimental results show that the average accuracy of the proposed method under different working conditions is 99.2%without adding noise.The accuracy under different working conditions from 0 to 1 HP is 100%.When the SNR is 0 dB,the average accuracy of the proposed method can still reach 98.7%under varying working conditions.Therefore,the bearing fault diagnosis method proposed in this paper is characterized by high accuracy,strong anti-noise ability,and generalization.Moreover,the proposed method can also overcome the influence of variable working conditions on diagnosis accuracy,providing method support for the accurate diagnosis of bearing faults under strong noise and variable working conditions.

Forging an easier path through graduation:Improving the patient transition from paediatric to adult critical care

Adolescence and the journey to adulthood involves exciting opportunities as well as psychosocial stress for young people growing up.These normal experiences are potentially magnified for teenagers living with chronic illness or disability and their families.Advances in care have improved survival for children with a variety of serious chronic medical conditions such that many who may once have died in childhood now survive well into adulthood with ongoing morbidity.For those with highly complex needs,care is often provided at major paediatric hospitals with expertise,specially trained personnel,and resources to support young people and their families for the first decades of life.At the end of adolescence,however,it is generally appropriate and necessary for young adults and their caregivers to transition to the care of clinicians trained in the care of adults at general hospitals.While there are some well-managed models to support this journey of transition,these are often specific to certain conditions and usually do not involve intensive care.Many patients may encounter considerable challenges during this period.Difficulties may include the loss of established therapeutic relationships,a perception of austerity and reduced amenity in facilities oriented to caring for adult patients,and care by clinicians with less experience with more common paediatric conditions.In addition,there is a risk of potential conflict between clinicians and families regarding goals of care in the event of a critical illness when it occurs in a young adult with major disability and long-term health issues.These challenges present genuine opportunities to better understand the transition from paediatric to adult-based care and to improve processes that assist clinicians who support patients and families as they shift between healthcare settings.

An Inspiring Transition

Xinjiang has undergone significant changes in recent years.Government efforts to create a peaceful environment are visibly yielding results.Once rife with conflict,the region now enjoys stability and growth.A sense of calm and safety is evident on its streets,which are now brimming with commerce and culture.

Macroscopic perspective on phase transition behavior of natural single-crystal graphite under different pressure environments

Comprehensive understanding of the direct transformation pathway from graphite to diamond under high temperature and high pressure has long been one of the fundamental goals in materials science.Despite considerable experimental and theoretical progress,current experimental studies have mainly focused on the local microstructural characterizations of recovered samples,which has certain limitations for hightemperature and high-pressure products,which often exhibit diversity.Here,we report on the pressure-induced phase transition behavior of natural single-crystal graphite under three distinct pressure-transmitting media from a macroscopic perspective using in situ two-dimensional Raman spectroscopy,scanning electron microscopy,and atomic force microscopy.The surface evolution process of graphite before and after the phase transition is captured,revealing that pressure-induced surface textures can impede the continuity of the phase transition process across the entire single crystal.Our results provide a fresh perspective for studying the phase transition behavior of graphite and greatly deepen our understanding of this behavior,which will be helpful in guiding further high-temperature and high-pressure syntheses of carbon allotropes.

Transmembrane channel-like 5 drives hepatocellular carcinoma progression by regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is a difficult cancer to manage due to its highly invasive and metastatic nature.AIM To investigate the molecular function of transmembrane channel-like 5(TMC5)in vitro and in vivo,with the objective of identifying novel diagnosis and treatment targets for HCC.METHODS The expression of TMC in cancer and normal tissues,along with its correlation with HCC prognosis,was analyzed using the GENT2,GEPIA database,and Human Protein Atlas.COX analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between TMC5 expression and overall survival in TCGA-LIHC patients.Further experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of TMC5 in cancer progression through loss-and gain-of-function assays in vitro and in vivo.RESULTS Bioinformatics revealed that TMC5 expression was generally higher in tumors than in normal tissues,and its expression was associated with poorer patient survival outcomes.TMC5 expression in HCC tissues and cells was consistent with the results of the bioinformatics analysis.Suppression of TMC5 expression reduced migration,invasion,and proliferation,while also decreasing the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)-associated molecules in MHCC97-LM3 cells.Conversely,higher TMC5 expression significantly increased cell migration,invasion,proliferation,and EMT in MHCC97 L cells.TMC5 knockdown significantly decreased both the formation and spread of nodules in liver tissue,whereas TMC5 overexpression promoted them.CONCLUSION Our study provides compelling evidence that TMC5 is highly expressed in HCC and drives cancer progression through the activation of EMT-mediated invasion.TMC5 could represent a valuable molecular target for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

SkullcapflavoneⅡsuppresses TGF-β-induced corneal epithelial mesenchymal transition in vitro

AIM:To investigate the effect of skullcapflavone II(SCF-II)on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)induced by transforming growth factor beta(TGF-β)in human corneal epithelial cells(HCECs),as well as to identify the signaling pathways that may be involved.METHODS:HCECs were cultured in vitro.At a SCFII(5,10μmol/L)dose,cell viability was analysed with a cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)assay,and cell migration was monitored with wound healing and Transwell migration assays.There were 4 groups:SCF-II,TGF-β,SCF-II+TGF-βand Control.Western blotting and immunofluorescence were performed to show the expression of EMT markers and the translocation of nuclear factor kappa-B(NF-κB)into the nucleus in the 4 groups.RESULTS:Treatment with SCF-II decreased HCEC viability in a dose-dependent manner.A concentration below 10μmol/L did not present obvious cell toxicity,and survival rates were more than 70%at 48h.Treatment with SCF-II(5 and 10μmol/L)significantly impeded migration in wound healing and Transwell migration assays(P<0.05),and EMT markers and NF-κB translocation into the nucleus were inhibited.After both TGF-βand SCF-II treatment,the migration of TGF-β-treated HCECs were suppressed by SCF-II(P<0.05).The expression levels of the mesenchymal markers N-cadherin(P<0.05),α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA;P<0.05)and NF-κB(P<0.05)in both TGF-β-and SCF-II-treated HCECs were lower than those in the HCECs treated with TGF-βalone and higher than those in HCECs treated with SCF-II alone.Immunofluorescence showed that the entry of NF-κB into the nucleus in both TGF-β-and SCF-IItreated HCECs was less than that in the TGF-β-treated HCECs.CONCLUSION:SCF-II inhibit TGF-β-induced EMT in HCECs by potentially regulating the NF-κB signalling pathway.Thus,SCF-II represents a candidate putative therapeutic agent in corneal fibrotic diseases.

Phase transitions, micro-morphology and its oxidation mechanism in oxidation of ilmenite (FeTiO_3) powder

Phase transitions, morphology changes, and oxidation mechanism of the ilmenite oxidation process were investigated. FeTi03 transforms to hematite and rutile when oxidation at 700-800 ℃, and pseudobrookite is formed when the oxidation temperature reaches 900 ℃. The initial ilmenite powder exhibits paramagnetism; however, after being oxidized at the intermediate temperature （800-850 ℃）, the oxidation product exhibits weak ferromagnetism. The oxidation mechanism was discussed. The microstructure observations show that a lot of micro-pores emerge on the surfaces of ilmenite particles at the intermediate temperature, which is deemed to be caoable ofenhancin~ the mass transfer ofoxgen during oxidation.

Magnesium vapor nucleation in phase transitions and condensation under vacuum conditions

Recent findings related to coagulable magnesium vapor nucleation and growth in vacuum were assessed critically, with emphasis on understanding these processes at a fundamental molecular level. The effects of magnesium vapor pressure, condensation temperature, and condensation zone temperature gradient on magnesium vapor nucleation in phase transitions and condensation from atomic collision and coacervation with collision under vacuum conditions were discussed. Magnesium powder and magnesium lump condensates were produced under different conditions and characterized by scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy （EDS）. The right condensation zone temperature approach to the liquid transition primarily improved the magnesium vapor concentration rate. The gas-solid phase transition was primarily inhibited by setting a small condenser temperature gradient. Under the right condensation temperature and temperature gradients, increasing magnesium vapor partial pressure improved crystallization and reduced the oxidation rate.