Evaluation of Radon Concentration and the Health Risk in the Offices of the Institute of Science and Technology of the “École Normale Supérieure”, Burkina Faso

The second most important cause of lung cancer after smoking is radon gas. Thus, the determination of indoor radon concentrations in residential buildings and workplaces is an important public health concern. The purpose of this research was to measure the concentration of radon gas in the offices of the Institute of Science and Technology and to evaluate the effective dose in the lungs and the risk of cancer. This study used Corentium’s AIR THINGS digital radon detector to determine the radon concentration in sixteen (16) offices. The digital radon detector air Things of Corentium was placed in each office for a minimum period of one week and the concentration values were recorded every 24 hours. The values recorded in each office were the short-term average and the long-term average during seven days of measurement. The short-term radon concentrations vary between 5.286 Bq/m3 and 192.714 Bq/m3 with an average of 48.01 Bq/m3 and those in the long-term were between 6.143 Bq/m3 and 172.571 Bq/m3 with an average of 52.46 Bq/m3. The measurements in office N°6 and 13 were above the lower limit of 100 Bq/m3 proposed by the WHO. The short-term and long-term effective doses in the lungs for offices N°6 and 13 were above the “normal” background level of 1.1 mSv/year proposed by UNSCEAR-2000. The short-term effective dose in the lungs for office N°6 was above the lower limit of 3 mSv per the ICRP-23 recommendation. The average number of lung cancer cases per year per million people was 15.

An explorative study on document type assignment of review articles in Web of Science,Scopus and journals’websites

Purpose:Accurately assigning the document type of review articles in citation index databases like Web of Science(WoS)and Scopus is important.This study aims to investigate the document type assignation of review articles in Web of Science,Scopus and Publisher’s websites on a large scale.Design/methodology/approach:27,616 papers from 160 journals from 10 review journal series indexed in SCI are analyzed.The document types of these papers labeled on journals’websites,and assigned by WoS and Scopus are retrieved and compared to determine the assigning accuracy and identify the possible reasons for wrongly assigning.For the document type labeled on the website,we further differentiate them into explicit review and implicit review based on whether the website directly indicates it is a review or not.Findings:Overall,WoS and Scopus performed similarly,with an average precision of about 99% and recall of about 80%.However,there were some differences between WoS and Scopus across different journal series and within the same journal series.The assigning accuracy of WoS and Scopus for implicit reviews dropped significantly,especially for Scopus.Research limitations:The document types we used as the gold standard were based on the journal websites’labeling which were not manually validated one by one.We only studied the labeling performance for review articles published during 2017-2018 in review journals.Whether this conclusion can be extended to review articles published in non-review journals and most current situation is not very clear.Practical implications:This study provides a reference for the accuracy of document type assigning of review articles in WoS and Scopus,and the identified pattern for assigning implicit reviews may be helpful to better labeling on websites,WoS and Scopus.Originality/value:This study investigated the assigning accuracy of document type of reviews and identified the some patterns of wrong assignments.

Panel Discussion on“Development Trends of Computer Science in the New Era”

At the panel session of the 3rd Global Forum on the Development of Computer Science,attendees had an opportunity to deliberate recent issues affecting computer science departments as a result of the recent growth in the field.6 heads of university computer science departments participated in the discussions,including the moderator,Professor Andrew Yao.The first issue was how universities are managing the growing number of applicants in addition to swelling class sizes.Several approaches were suggested,including increasing faculty hiring,implementing scalable teaching tools,and working closer with other departments through degree programs that integrate computer science with other fields.The second issue was about the position and role of computer science within broader science.Participants generally agreed that all fields are increasingly relying on computer science techniques,and that effectively disseminating these techniques to others is a key to unlocking broader scientific progress.

Thermo-hydro-poro-mechanical responses of a reservoir-induced landslide tracked by high-resolution fiber optic sensing nerves

Thermo-poro-mechanical responses along sliding zone/surface have been extensively studied.However,it has not been recognized that the potential contribution of other crucial engineering geological interfaces beyond the slip surface to progressive failure.Here,we aim to investigate the subsurface multiphysics of reservoir landslides under two extreme hydrologic conditions(i.e.wet and dry),particularly within sliding masses.Based on ultra-weak fiber Bragg grating(UWFBG)technology,we employ specialpurpose fiber optic sensing cables that can be implanted into boreholes as“nerves of the Earth”to collect data on soil temperature,water content,pore water pressure,and strain.The Xinpu landslide in the middle reach of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area in China was selected as a case study to establish a paradigm for in situ thermo-hydro-poro-mechanical monitoring.These UWFBG-based sensing cables were vertically buried in a 31 m-deep borehole at the foot of the landslide,with a resolution of 1 m except for the pressure sensor.We reported field measurements covering the period 2021 and 2022 and produced the spatiotemporal profiles throughout the borehole.Results show that wet years are more likely to motivate landslide motions than dry years.The annual thermally active layer of the landslide has a critical depth of roughly 9 m and might move downward in warmer years.The dynamic groundwater table is located at depths of 9e15 m,where the peaked strain undergoes a periodical response of leap and withdrawal to annual hydrometeorological cycles.These interface behaviors may support the interpretation of the contribution of reservoir regulation to slope stability,allowing us to correlate them to local damage events and potential global destabilization.This paper also offers a natural framework for interpreting thermo-hydro-poro-mechanical signatures from creeping reservoir bank slopes,which may form the basis for a landslide monitoring and early warning system.

Identification of candidate genes for early-maturity traits by combining BSA-seq and QTL mapping in upland cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Cotton breeding for the development of early-maturing varieties is an effective way to improve multiple cropping indexes and alleviate the conflict between grains and cotton in the cultivated fields in China.In the present study,we aimed to identify upland cotton quantitative trait loci(QTLs)and candidate genes related to early-maturity traits,including whole growth period(WGP),flowering timing(FT),node of the first fruiting branch(NFFB),height of the node of the first fruiting branch(HNFFB),and plant height(PH).An early-maturing variety,CCRI50,and a latematuring variety,Guoxinmian 11,were crossed to obtain biparental populations.These populations were used to map QTLs for the early-maturity traits for two years(2020 and 2021).With BSA-seq analysis based on the data of population 2020,the candidate regions related to early maturity were found to be located on chromosome D03.We then developed 22 polymorphic insertions or deletions(InDel)markers to further narrow down the candidate regions,resulting in the detection of five and four QTLs in the 2020 and 2021 populations,respectively.According to the results of QTL mapping,two candidate regions(InDel_G286-InDel_G144 and InDel_G24-InDel_G43)were detected.In these regions,three genes(GH_D03G0451,GH_D03G0649,and GH_D03G1180)have nonsynonymous mutations in their exons and one gene(GH_D03G0450)has SNP variations in the upstream sequence between CCRI50 and Guoxinmian 11.These four genes also showed dominant expression in the floral organs.The expression levels of GH_D03G0451,GH_D03G0649 and GH_D03G1180 were significantly higher in CCRI50 than in Guoxinmian 11 during the bud differentiation stages,while GH_D03G0450 showed the opposite trend.Further functional verification of GH_D03G0451 indicated that the GH_D03G0451-silenced plants showed a delay in the flowering time.The results suggest that these are the candidate genes for cotton early maturity,and they may be used for breeding early-maturity cotton varieties.

Significantly Improved High-Temperature Energy Storage Performance of BOPP Films by Coating Nanoscale Inorganic Layer

Biaxially oriented polypropylene(BOPP)is one of the most commonly used commercial capacitor films,but its upper operating temperature is below 105℃due to the sharply increased electrical conduction loss at high temperature.In this study,growing an inorganic nanoscale coating layer onto the BOPP film's surface is proposed to suppress electrical conduction loss at high temperature,as well as increase its upper operating temperature.Four kinds of inorganic coating layers that have different energy band structure and dielectric property are grown onto the both surface of BOPP films,respectively.The effect of inorganic coating layer on the high-temperature energy storage performance has been systematically investigated.The favorable coating layer materials and appropriate thickness enable the BOPP films to have a significant improvement in high-temperature energy storage performance.Specifically,when the aluminum nitride(AIN)acts as a coating layer,the AIN-BOPP-AIN sandwich-structured films possess a discharged energy density of 1.5 J cm^(-3)with an efficiency of 90%at 125℃,accompanying an outstandingly cyclic property.Both the discharged energy density and operation temperature are significantly enhanced,indicating that this efficient and facile method provides an important reference to improve the high-temperature energy storage performance of polymer-based dielectric films.

Unraveling the role of dual Ti/Mg metals on the ignition and combustion behavior of HTPB-boron-based fuel

Metal additives play an essential role in explosive and propellant formulations. Boron(B) is widely used in propellant applications owing to its high energetic content. The addition of B to explosives and propellants increases their energy density, making them more efficient and powerful. Nevertheless, B forms oxide layers on its surface during combustion, slowing down the combustion rate and reducing rocket motor efficiency. To overcome this issue, other metal additives such as aluminum(Al), magnesium(Mg),and titanium(Ti) are revealed to be effective in boosting the combustion rate of propellants. These additives may improve the combustion rate and therefore enhance the rocket motor’s performance. The present study focused on preparing and investigating the ignition and combustion behavior of pure hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene(HTPB)-B fuel supplemented with nano-titanium and nanomagnesium. The burn rates of HTPB-B fuel samples were evaluated on the opposed flow burner(OFB)under a gaseous oxygen oxidizer, for which the mass flux ranges from 22 kg/(m^(2)·s) to 86 kg/(m^(2)·s). The addition of Ti and Mg exhibited higher regression rates, which were attributed to the improved oxidation reaction of B due to the synergetic metal combustion effect. The possible combustion/oxidation reaction mechanism of B-Mg and B-Ti by heating the fuel samples at 900℃ and 1100℃ was also examined in a Nabertherm burnout furnace under an oxygen atmosphere. The post-combustion products were collected and further subjected to X-ray diffraction(XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM) analyses to inspect the combustion behavior of B-Ti and B-Mg. It has been observed that the B oxide layer at the interface between B-Ti(B-Mg) is removed at lower temperatures, hence facilitating oxygen transfer from the surroundings to the core B. Additionally, Ti and Mg decreased the ignition delay time of B, which improved its combustion performance.

Impacts of Future Changes in Heavy Precipitation and Extreme Drought on the Economy over South China and Indochina

Heavy precipitation and extreme drought have caused severe economic losses over South China and Indochina(INCSC)in recent decades.Given the areas with large gross domestic product(GDP)in the INCSC region are distributed along the coastline and greatly affected by global warming,understanding the possible economic impacts induced by future changes in the maximum consecutive 5-day precipitation(RX5day)and the maximum consecutive dry days(CDD)is critical for adaptation planning in this region.Based on the latest data released by phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project(CMIP6),future projections of precipitation extremes with bias correction and their impacts on GDP over the INCSC region under the fossil-fueled development Shared Socioeconomic Pathway(SSP5-8.5)are investigated.Results indicate that RX5day will intensify robustly throughout the INCSC region,while CDD will lengthen in most regions under global warming.The changes in climate consistently dominate the effect on GDP over the INCSC region,rather than the change of GDP.If only considering the effect of climate change on GDP,the changes in precipitation extremes bring a larger impact on the economy in the future to the provinces of Hunan,Jiangxi,Fujian,Guangdong,and Hainan in South China,as well as the Malay Peninsula and southern Cambodia in Indochina.Thus,timely regional adaptation strategies are urgent for these regions.Moreover,from the sub-regional average viewpoint,over two thirds of CMIP6 models agree that maintaining a lower global warming level will reduce the economic impacts from heavy precipitation over the INCSC region.

A comparative study of data-driven battery capacity estimation based on partial charging curves

With its generality and practicality, the combination of partial charging curves and machine learning(ML) for battery capacity estimation has attracted widespread attention. However, a clear classification,fair comparison, and performance rationalization of these methods are lacking, due to the scattered existing studies. To address these issues, we develop 20 capacity estimation methods from three perspectives:charging sequence construction, input forms, and ML models. 22,582 charging curves are generated from 44 cells with different battery chemistry and operating conditions to validate the performance. Through comprehensive and unbiased comparison, the long short-term memory(LSTM) based neural network exhibits the best accuracy and robustness. Across all 6503 tested samples, the mean absolute percentage error(MAPE) for capacity estimation using LSTM is 0.61%, with a maximum error of only 3.94%. Even with the addition of 3 m V voltage noise or the extension of sampling intervals to 60 s, the average MAPE remains below 2%. Furthermore, the charging sequences are provided with physical explanations related to battery degradation to enhance confidence in their application. Recommendations for using other competitive methods are also presented. This work provides valuable insights and guidance for estimating battery capacity based on partial charging curves.

Research on flexible display at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology

Displays represent information visually,so they have become the fundamental building block to visualize the data of current electronics including smartphones.Recently,electronics have been advanced toward flexible and wearable electronics that can be bent,folded,or stretched while maintaining their performance under various deformations.Here,recent advances in research to demonstrate flexible and wearable displays are reviewed.We introduce these results by dividing them into several categories according to the components of the display:active-matrix backplane,touch screen panel,light sources,integrated circuit for fingerprint touch screen panel,and characterization tests;and we also present mechanical tests in nano-meter scale and visual ergonomics research.

Correction:Impact of Transition Metal Layer Vacancy on the Structure and Performance of P2 Type Layered Sodium Cathode Material

Following publication of the original article[1],the authors reported that the author Hun-Gi Jung should be affiliated as 3,4 and 5 instead of 4 and 5.The author’s name“A.-Yeon Kim”needed to be updated to“A-Yeon Kim”,removing the period.The correct author’s name and affiliation have been provided in this Correction.The original article[1]has been corrected.

Classification of Conversational Sentences Using an Ensemble Pre-Trained Language Model with the Fine-Tuned Parameter

Sentence classification is the process of categorizing a sentence based on the context of the sentence.Sentence categorization requires more semantic highlights than other tasks,such as dependence parsing,which requires more syntactic elements.Most existing strategies focus on the general semantics of a conversation without involving the context of the sentence,recognizing the progress and comparing impacts.An ensemble pre-trained language model was taken up here to classify the conversation sentences from the conversation corpus.The conversational sentences are classified into four categories:information,question,directive,and commission.These classification label sequences are for analyzing the conversation progress and predicting the pecking order of the conversation.Ensemble of Bidirectional Encoder for Representation of Transformer(BERT),Robustly Optimized BERT pretraining Approach(RoBERTa),Generative Pre-Trained Transformer(GPT),DistilBERT and Generalized Autoregressive Pretraining for Language Understanding(XLNet)models are trained on conversation corpus with hyperparameters.Hyperparameter tuning approach is carried out for better performance on sentence classification.This Ensemble of Pre-trained Language Models with a Hyperparameter Tuning(EPLM-HT)system is trained on an annotated conversation dataset.The proposed approach outperformed compared to the base BERT,GPT,DistilBERT and XLNet transformer models.The proposed ensemble model with the fine-tuned parameters achieved an F1_score of 0.88.

Upper-rim-modified thioether thiacalix[4]arene used for liquid-liquid extraction of Au(Ⅲ)and Pd(Ⅱ)in hydrochloric acid medium

Gold(Au)and palladium(Pd)play an increasing role in the production and human life;Therefore,it is of great significance to study their recovery.A 5,11,17,23-tetra-ethylthio-25,26,27,28-tetra-hydroxyl thiacalix[4]arene(TCAET)was synthesized specifically for the capture of Au(Ⅲ)and Pd(Ⅱ)from HCl medium by liquid-liquid extraction.In a 0.1 mol·L^(-1)HCl medium,the transfer of Au(Ⅲ)and Pd(Ⅱ)from the aqueous phase to the organic phase was highly efficient,with a transfer ratio of 100%for Au(Ⅲ)and 98%for Pd(Ⅱ).Furthermore,the extraction equilibrium time for Au(Ⅲ)was just 5 min.Job's method data demonstrated that TCAET formed complexes with Au(Ⅲ)and Pd(Ⅱ)in a ratio of 2:3 and 1:1,respectively,during the extraction process.TCAET showed high selectivity toward Pd(Ⅱ)and Au(Ⅲ)over other competing metal ions.Moreover,both Au(Ⅲ)and Pd(Ⅱ)could be successfully stripped from the loaded organic phases with a 1.0 mol·L^(-1)thiourea in 0.5 mol·L^(-1)HCl and 0.5 mol·L^(-1)thiourea in 0.5 mol·L^(-1)HCl,respectively.Results obtained from five consecutive extraction-stripping cycles showed good reusability of TCAET toward Au(Ⅲ)and Pd(Ⅱ)recovery.The conclusion can provide a certain reference for thiacalixarene in the recovery of precious metal species.

Local dose-dense chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer via minimally invasive implantation of 3D printed devices

Dose-dense chemotherapy is the preferred first-line therapy for triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC),a highly aggressive disease with a poor prognosis.This treatment uses the same drug doses as conventional chemotherapy but with shorter dosing intervals,allowing for promising clinical outcomes with intensive treatment.However,the frequent systemic administration used for this treatment results in systemic toxicity and low patient compliance,limiting therapeutic efficacy and clinical benefit.Here,we report local dose-dense chemotherapy to treat TNBC by implanting 3D printed devices with timeprogrammed pulsatile release profiles.The implantable device can control the time between drug releases based on its internal microstructure design,which can be used to control dose density.The device is made of biodegradable materials for clinical convenience and designed for minimally invasive implantation via a trocar.Dose density variation of local chemotherapy using programmable release enhances anti-cancer effects in vitro and in vivo.Under the same dose density conditions,device-based chemotherapy shows a higher anticancer effect and less toxic response than intratumoral injection.We demonstrate local chemotherapy utilizing the implantable device that simulates the drug dose,number of releases,and treatment duration of the dose-dense AC(doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide)regimen preferred for TNBC treatment.Dose density modulation inhibits tumor growth,metastasis,and the expression of drug resistance-related proteins,including p-glycoprotein and breast cancer resistance protein.To the best of our knowledge,local dose-dense chemotherapy has not been reported,and our strategy can be expected to be utilized as a novel alternative to conventional therapies and improve anti-cancer efficiency.

Boosted Lithium-Ion Transport Kinetics in n-Type Siloxene Anodes Enabled by Selective Nucleophilic Substitution of Phosphorus

Doped two-dimensional(2D)materials hold significant promise for advancing many technologies,such as microelectronics,optoelectronics,and energy storage.Herein,n-type 2D oxidized Si nanosheets,namely n-type siloxene(n-SX),are employed as Li-ion battery anodes.Via thermal evaporation of sodium hypophosphite at 275℃,P atoms are effectively incorporated into siloxene(SX)without compromising its 2D layered morphology and unique Kautsky-type crystal structure.Further,selective nucleophilic substitution occurs,with only Si atoms being replaced by P atoms in the O_(3)≡Si-H tetrahedra.The resulting n-SX possesses two delocalized electrons arising from the presence of two electron donor types:(i)P atoms residing in Si sites and(ii)H vacancies.The doping concentrations are varied by controlling the amount of precursors or their mean free paths.Even at 2000 mA g^(-1),the n-SX electrode with the optimized doping concentration(6.7×10^(19) atoms cm^(-3))delivers a capacity of 594 mAh g^(-1) with a 73%capacity retention after 500 cycles.These improvements originate from the enhanced kinetics of charge transport processes,including electronic conduction,charge transfer,and solid-state diffusion.The approach proposed herein offers an unprecedented route for engineering SX anodes to boost Li-ion storage.

Enhancing BiVO_(4)photoanode performance by insertion of an epitaxial BiFeO_(3)ferroelectric layer

BiVO_(4)(BVO)is a promising material as the photoanode for use in photoelectrochemical applications.However,the high charge recombination and slow charge transfer of the BVO have been obstacles to achieving satisfactory photoelectrochemical performance.To address this,various modifications have been attempted,including the use of ferroelectric materials.Ferroelectric materials can form a permanent polarization within the layer,enhancing the separation and transport of photo-excited electron-hole pairs.In this study,we propose a novel approach by depositing an epitaxial BiFeO_(3)(BFO)thin film underneath the BVO thin film(BVO/BFO)to harness the ferroelectric property of BFO.The self-polarization of the inserted BFO thin film simultaneously functions as a buffer layer to enhance charge transport and a hole-blocking layer to reduce charge recombination.As a result,the BVO/BFO photoanodes showed more than 3.5 times higher photocurrent density(0.65 mA cm^(-2))at 1.23 V_(RHE)under the illumination compared to the bare BVO photoanodes(0.18 m A cm^(-2)),which is consistent with the increase of the applied bias photon-to-current conversion efficiencies(ABPE)and the result of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS)analysis.These results can be attributed to the self-polarization exhibited by the inserted BFO thin film,which promoted the charge separation and transfer efficiency of the BVO photoanodes.

The Dynamics and Future Scenarios of the Animal Husbandry System in Khutag-Undur from 2015 to 2050

Under the conditions of climate warming,grassland degradation,frequent sandstorms,and fast increases in livestock numbers,coordinating animal husbandry and ecological protection is an important issue facing Mongolia.Using Khutag-Undur as an example,this study explores the dynamic process,future scenarios,and optimization strategies of the animal husbandry system in a typical Soum of Mongolia from 2015 to 2050 under three future climate socioeconomic scenarios of CMIP 6:SSP1-RCP2.6,SSP2-RCP4.5,and SSP5-RCP8.5.First,the animal husbandry system was deconstructed into three subsystems:grassland primary production,livestock secondary production,and herder consumption.Based on the negative feedback mechanism of forage-livestock balance,a system dynamics model for the Khutag-Undur Soum animal husbandry system was developed.This model integrates spatial data such as land cover and NPP,as well as statistical data on livestock,herder income and expenditures,sample plot surveys,and herder questionnaires.The model was used to simulate the historical changes(2015-2022)in forage production and carrying capacity,livestock stock,and livestock output of Khutag-Undur,and then to forecast the future scenarios of those variables for 2022-2050.Second,the most suitable future scenario for the Soum was identified by comparing the three future scenarios using a pastural system sustainability evaluation method.Finally,based on three indicators of livestock numbers,a two-step livestock reduction strategy was proposed.The main conclusions are that the rapid growth of livestock numbers in Khutag-Undur places considerable pressure on the grassland,and the SSP1-RCP2.6 scenario is the most suitable future scenario for the Soum.However,even in this suitable scenario,grassland overloading remains evident.The continuous implementation of a livestock reduction strategy is recommended to maintain the sustainable development of animal husbandry and grassland conservation.

Investigation of system parameters towards safer impact based shock-to-detonation transition in a novel laser driven flyer plate prototype

Laser driven flyer plate technology offers improved safety and reliability for detonation of explosives in industrial applications ranging from mining and stone quarrying to the aerospace and defense industries.This study is based on developing a safer laser driven flyer plate prototype comprised of a laser initiator and a flyer plate subsystem that can be used with secondary explosives.System parameters were optimized to initiate the shock-to-detonation transition(SDT)of a secondary explosive based on the impact created by the flyer plate on the explosive surface.Rupture of the flyer was investigated at the mechanically weakened region located on the interface of these subsystems,where the product gases from the deflagration of the explosive provide the required energy.A bilayer energetic material was used,where the first layer consisted of a pyrotechnic component,zirconium potassium perchlorate(ZPP),for sustaining the ignition by the laser beam and the second layer consisted of an insensitive explosive,cyclotetramethylene-tetranitramine(HMX),for deflagration.A plexiglass interface was used to enfold the energetic material.The focal length of the laser beam from the diode was optimized to provide a homogeneous beam profile with maximum power at the surface of the ZPP.Closed bomb experiments were conducted in an internal volume of 10 cm^(3) for evaluation of performance.Dependency of the laser driven flyer plate system output on confinement,explosive density,and laser beam power were analyzed.Measurements using a high-speed camera resulted in a flyer velocity of 670±20 m/s that renders the prototype suitable as a laser detonator in applications,where controlled employment of explosives is critical.

3D and 2D topographic correction to estimated geothermal gradient from the base of gas hydrate stability zone in the Andaman Forearc Basin

Methane gas hydrate related bottom-simulating reflectors(BSRs)are imaged based on the in-line and cross-line multi-channel seismic(MCS)data from the Andaman Forearc Basin.The depth of the BSR depends on pressure and temperature and pore water salinity.With these assumptions,the BSR depth can be used to estimate the geothermal gradient(GTG)based on the availability of in-situ temperature measurements.This calculation is done assuming a 1D conductive model based on available in-situ temperature measurement at site NGHP-01-17 in the study area.However,in the presence of seafloor topography,the conductive temperature field in the subsurface is affected by lateral refraction of heat,which focuses heat in topographic lows and away from topographic highs.The 1D estimate of GTG in the Andaman Forearc Basin has been validated by drilling results from the NGHP-01 expedition.2D analytic modeling to estimate the effects of topography is performed earlier along selected seismic profiles in the study area.The study extended to estimate the effect of topography in 3D using a numerical model.The corrected GTG data allow us to determine GTG values free of topographic effect.The difference between the estimated GTG and values corrected for the 3D topographic effect varies up to~5℃/km.These conclude that the topographic correction is relatively small compared to other uncertainties in the 1D model and that apparent GTG determined with the 1D model captures the major features,although the correction is needed prior to interpreting subtle features of the derived GTG maps.

Toward understanding the role of genomic repeat elements in neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases cause great medical and economic burdens for both patients and society;however, the complex molecular mechanisms thereof are not yet well understood. With the development of high-coverage sequencing technology, researchers have started to notice that genomic repeat regions, previously neglected in search of disease culprits, are active contributors to multiple neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we describe the association between repeat element variants and multiple degenerative diseases through genome-wide association studies and targeted sequencing. We discuss the identification of disease-relevant repeat element variants, further powered by the advancement of long-read sequencing technologies and their related tools, and summarize recent findings in the molecular mechanisms of repeat element variants in brain degeneration, such as those causing transcriptional silencing or RNA-mediated gain of toxic function. Furthermore, we describe how in silico predictions using innovative computational models, such as deep learning language models, could enhance and accelerate our understanding of the functional impact of repeat element variants. Finally, we discuss future directions to advance current findings for a better understanding of neurodegenerative diseases and the clinical applications of genomic repeat elements.