Progress in neurorehabilitation research and the support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China from 2010 to 2022

The National Natural Science Foundation of China is one of the major funding agencies for neuro rehabilitation research in China.This study reviews the frontier directions and achievements in the field of neurorehabilitation in China and wo rldwide.We used data from the Web of Science Core Collection(WoSCC) database to analyze the publications and data provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China to analyze funding information.In addition,the prospects for neurorehabilitation research in China are discussed.From 2010 to 2022,a total of 74,220 publications in neurorehabilitation were identified,with there being an overall upward tendency.During this period,the National Natural Science Foundation of China has funded 476 research projects with a total funding of 192.38 million RMB to support neuro rehabilitation research in China.With the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China,China has made some achievements in neurorehabilitation research.Research related to neurorehabilitation is believed to be making steady and significant progress in China.

Progress in osteoarthritis research by the National Natural Science Foundation of China

Osteoarthritis(OA) in China is gradually becoming an important scientific research area that has had a significant impact on research and development(R&D) activities in the OA field worldwide. This article summarizes the R&D progress related to OA in China in recent years. The National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC) is a national funding institution for basic research and plays a critical role in promoting and supporting Chinese scholars’ R&D activities. We collected and analyzed information on NSFC funding in the field of OA from 2010 to 2019, including the amount, the level and the program categories of the funded projects. The data fully demonstrate the important and positive role of the NSFC in supporting free exploration, cultivating research teams and young talent, and boosting OA R&D. In this article, we outline and discuss hot topics in focused areas, key advances in this field and the prospects for progress in OA research in China.

The 2010–2020 National Natural Science Foundation of China:Radiation Therapy

Objective This study explains the application number and funding rate of oncology projects undertaken by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC),with focus on tumor radiotherapy-related research over the past 11 years.Methods A stratified analysis was carried out on the application and funding status of tumor radiotherapy studies in different NSFC project categories,different research areas,and different tumor types.Research areas that required specific focus,such as immunology-related radiotherapy,multimodality imaging and radiomics,and post-radiotherapy organ injury,were separately analyzed.Results The status and development trends of various related research fields were studied,and the research results were presented with the support of the NSFC,in order to provide reference for future applications and funding allocations.Conclusion The number of applications for funding increases every year.Although the total number of funded projects has also increased every year,the funding rate has decreased year by year.Projects on radiotherapy and immunization have been at the forefront in recent years,and the funding rate for these projects increases yearly.

Applications and grants of the National Natural Science Foundation of China's General Program and Young Scientists Fund in immunology research:a 10-year review(2013–2022)

Immunology,a biomedical discipline with an ancient history of maintaining thriving research vitality to date,refers to the study of the structure and function of the immune system of the body,the pathogenesis of immune-related diseases,immunological diagnoses,and prevention mechanisms(National Natural Science Foundation of China,2023).Immunological research is the foundation of research in biology,as well as basic and clinical medicine(Kubli et al.,2021).

Quantifying the strength of magnetic fields using baryon electric charge correlation

Although heavy-ion collisions generate strong magnetic fields,their direct measurement is a challenging task.A new observable,the baryon electric charge correlation,was recently found to be sensitive to the magnetic field strength and thus could be used as a magnetometer for heavy-ion collisions.Additionally,this observable may shed light on the equation of state and phase structure of quantum chromodynamics(QCD)under magnetic fields.Determining and understanding the phase structure of quantum chromodynamics(QCD)is important in contemporary physics[1].

Current status and impact of the Young Scientist Foundation of the National Natural Science Foundation on Chinese young scholars in cardiovascular research

Cardiovascular disease(CVD)remains the leading cause of disease burden globally,and continued efforts are required in identifying new targets for CVD prevention and treatment(Vaduganathan et al.,2022).Breakthroughs in basic research are urgently needed to fully understand the CVD mechanism and improve clinical treatment modality.

Applications and grants of National Natural Science Foundation of China’s General Program in cardiovascular research:a 10-year review

Cardiovascular diseases(CVDs)are the major threats to global human health and the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in China(Liu et al.,2019).Although various strategies have been developed,the prevalence of CVDs is still increasing in China,and many CVDs cannot be managed well(Liu et al.,2019)because of the lack of full elucidation on many basic issues.

Viewing the current situation of pig model application in China’s medical field from the application and funding of NSFC

Background:The National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)is an important part of China’s innovation system.In the last decade,the pig has become more and more widely used in the field of medical science,especially in otology research.Objective:By analyzing and summarizing the funding information over recent years,we intend to identify the characteristics and trends of funding for research using pig models and provide references for future development.Material and methods:This is a comprehensive analysis of features in funding for research projects involving pig models by the NSFC in the past 10 years,with a focus on projects in the field of otolaryngology/head and neck surgery.Results:Both the number and amount of funding provided by the NSFC for research involving pig models are on the rise with each passing year.Researchers at the PLA General Hospital have completed a number of studies using miniature pigs in cochlear morphology,electrophysiology,cochlear implantation,cochlear transcription analysis,gene therapy,inner ear disease modeling and Eustachian tube pathology modeling.Conclusion:Pigs as an ideal large mammal model are well suited in the current national basic research strategy in China,and can help further strengthen China’s leading position in basic research in the world.

The China Seismological Reference Model project

The importance of developing high-resolution seismic models to improve understanding of tectonic processes and enhance seismic hazard mitigation programs,along with the rapid expansion of seismic coverage in China,called for a seismological reference model to be established in China.The China Seismological Reference Model(CSRM)project was initiated by the National Natural Science Foundation of China with two primary goals:(1)the CSRM would serve as a primary source for the current state of seismological research in China,and(2)the seismic data and constraints used to construct the CSRM would be used as a backbone open-access cyberinfrastructure for future research in seismology.The CSRM project was also intended to promote data exchange and scientific collaboration in seismology in China.Accordingly,two parallel efforts of the project are being pursued:(1)construction of the CSRM,and(2)development of a CSRM product center.The CSRM is jointly constrained by various types of seismic constraints extracted from the seismic data recorded at 4511 seismic stations in continental China following a top-down approach,with the seismic structures in the shallower part of the Earth constrained first.Construction of the CSRM involves three preparation steps:(1)building datasets of various seismic constraints from the seismic data,(2)developing a method to incorporate the constraints of surface wave observations from regional earthquakes into the inversion of the seismic structure,and(3)constructing high-resolution pre-CSRM seismic models of the velocity structure in the shallow crust and the Pn-velocity structure in the uppermost mantle.In the final process,the CSRM will be constructed by jointly inverting all the seismic constraints using the pre-CSRM models as starting models or a priori structures.The CSRM product center(http://chinageorefmodel.org)archives and distributes three types of products:CSRM models,the Level 1 original seismic data used to extract seismic constraints in the construction of the CSRM,and Level 2 data on the seismic constraints derived from the Level 1 data and the inferred earthquake parameters in the construction of the CSRM.The CSRM product center has archived 141 TB of Level 1 data from 1120 permanent broadband stations in the China Seismic Network Center and 3391 temporary stations from various institutions and data centers around the world,as well as 140 GB of Level 2 data on various seismic constraints and inferred event parameters from the construction of the CSRM.The CSRM is expected to provide significant insights into the composition and tectonic dynamics in continental China and to enhance the capability of various seismic hazard mitigation programs in China from near real-time rapid determination of earthquake parameters to an earthquake early warning system.The CSRM could also provide guidance for focuses in future seismological research and the design of future active and passive seismic experiments in China.Several focuses are suggested for future seismological research in China,along with the building of a national cyberinfrastructure to sustain and expand the operations of the CSRM project.

THE GREAT ACHIEVEMENT OF THE COOPERATIVE RESEARCH ON ANCIENT LIMNOLOGY BY CHINA AND U.S.A.

"The study of plateau lake’s ancient limnology in lime stone region of central Yunnan"is a program subsidized by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, practied bySong Xueliang in Yunnan Institute of Geology. After the program had been authorized, inorder to have the program carried out successfully,the National Natural Science Founda-tion of China subsidized the researchers to cooperate with relative American institutes.

2018 Annual Report:China National Committee for IGCP

Part One:Chairman,Vice Chairpersons and Secretary General of the Committee Chairman:Prof.Hou Zengqian Vice President National Natural Science Foundation of China83 Shuangqing Road,Haidian District Beijing 100085,China Tel:+86-(10)-6899-0617Fax:+86-(10)-6899-7803E-mail:houzengqian@126.com.

Paradigm shifts of life science research in China:Challenges and coping strategies

Life sciences,a group of disciplines dedicated to exploring biological phenomena and elucidating the principles underlying biological activities,span multiple levels of research ranging from molecules to cells,tissues,organs,individuals,and populations.It represents one of the most dynamic frontiers in contemporary scientific research[1].In recent years,China has made remarkable progress in scientific research investment and development.China’s basic research funds reached 221.2 billion yuan in 2023,representing a 9.3%increase over the previous year.

Achievements in cancer research supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China

For the past two decades,great achievements have been made in cancer research of China and the majority of them were supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC).In this article,we reviewed the funding history of NSFC including the number of proposals,the amount of grants,distribution of supported program categories during the period of 1987 to 2012 and the representative achievements made by continuous support of NSFC.Also,the impacts of NSFC support on discipline development and talent fostering were analyzed.From 1987 to 2012,a total of 8738 proposals related to cancer research were funded by NSFC.The percentages of the Research Program,Talent-Training Program,and the Research Environment Program were 61.19%,36.32%,and 2.49%,respectively.Under the support of NSFC,cancer research in China has achieved a significantly rapid and balanced development in both disciplines and scientist resources.

Progress of basic research in Parkinson’s disease in China: data mini-review from the National Natural Science Foundation

This review is to analyze the role of National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)on the development of basic research of Parkinson’s disease from 1990 to 2012.Data on the total number of projects and funding of NSFC allocated to Parkinson’s disease,as well as hotspots in western countries,papers published,awards,personnel training,subject construction were collected,and the role of NSFC on other sources of funding was evaluated.Over the past 23 years,a full range of continuous funding from NSFC has led to fruitful results and a strong impetus to the progress of basic research of Parkinson’s disease.

National Natural Science Foundation of China leads the comprehensive development of basic research in the field of male reproductive health in China

"Reproductive health"was officially defined as humans and their individual activities related to reproduction throughout their lives,which should be in good health in physical,psychological,and social aspects.1 The basic research on male reproductive health in China can be traced back to the 1960s.2 Since the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)began systematic support for basic research on male reproductive health in 1988,the field has been systematically developed in China.In this regard,we analyze the role of the NSFC on the development of basic research in the field of male reproductive health in China.

The progress of human geography in China under the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China

This paper analyzes the role of the National Natural Science Foundation of China（NSFC） in advancing human geography in China by focusing on five key research areas： land use, urban systems and urban agglomeration, economic globalization, climate change and social and cultural geographies. All NSFC-funded human geography programs related to these five topics from 1986 to 2017 comprise the sample for analysis, and the research topics, content, teams, and peer-reviewed journal publications supported by these programs are investigated. Specifically, this paper analyzes the NSFC＇s promotion of the expansion of research topics in response to national developmental needs and the shifting frontiers of human geography research internationally, its enhancement of interdisciplinary research, and its contributions to the assembly of specialized research teams. The paper also reports important progress in Chinese human geography over the past 30 years through the institutional lens of the NSFC, revealing major characteristics and trends in the discipline. The paper concludes by calling for further collaboration between the research community and the NSFC for the development of a locally suitable and globally influential Chinese human geography.

Gut flora in multiple sclerosis:implications for pathogenesis and treatment

Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disorder chara cterized by inflammation,demyelination,and neurodegeneration in the central nervous system.Although current first-line therapies can help manage symptoms and slow down disease progression,there is no cure for multiple sclerosis.The gut-brain axis refers to complex communications between the gut flo ra and the immune,nervous,and endocrine systems,which bridges the functions of the gut and the brain.Disruptions in the gut flora,termed dys biosis,can lead to systemic inflammation,leaky gut syndrome,and increased susceptibility to infections.The pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis involves a combination of genetic and environmental factors,and gut flora may play a pivotal role in regulating immune responses related to multiple scle rosis.To develop more effective therapies for multiple scle rosis,we should further uncover the disease processes involved in multiple sclerosis and gain a better understanding of the gut-brain axis.This review provides an overview of the role of the gut flora in multiple scle rosis.

Rethinking development and major research plans of Industrial Internet in China

This paper gives a definition of the Industrial Internet and expounds on the academic connotation of the future Industrial Internet.From this foundation,we outline the development and current status of the Industrial Internet in China and globally.Moreover,we detail the avant-garde paradigms encompassed within the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)’s“Future Industrial Internet Fundamental Theory and Key Technologies”research plan and its corresponding management strategies.This research initiative endeavors to enhance interdisciplinary collaborations,aiming for a synergistic alignment of industry,academia,research,and practical implementations.The primary focus of the research plan is on the pivotal scientific challenges inherent to the future industrial internet.It is poised to traverse the“first mile”,encompassing foundational research and pioneering innovations specific to the industrial internet,and seamlessly bridges to the“last mile”,ensuring the effective commercialization of scientific and technological breakthroughs into tangible industrial market applications.The anticipated contributions from this initiative are projected to solidify both the theoretical and practical scaffolding essential for the cultivation of a globally competitive industrial internet infrastructure in China.

Joint Funds of National Natural Science Foundation of China:Strategy,Practice and Development

Joint Funds of National Natural Science Foundation of China （ NSFC ） are initiated by different stakeholders, which aim to play a better 9ufdin9 role to support basic research in specific areas and directions. They have formed an important part of the national natural science funding system, which is responsible for advancing science and technology in an expanding frontier. The article would briefly summarize the joint funds strategic goals, programs implementation and achievements in the past decade, and provide a perspective on their future development.

UAV-Assisted Dynamic Avatar Task Migration for Vehicular Metaverse Services: A Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning Approach

Avatars, as promising digital representations and service assistants of users in Metaverses, can enable drivers and passengers to immerse themselves in 3D virtual services and spaces of UAV-assisted vehicular Metaverses. However, avatar tasks include a multitude of human-to-avatar and avatar-to-avatar interactive applications, e.g., augmented reality navigation,which consumes intensive computing resources. It is inefficient and impractical for vehicles to process avatar tasks locally. Fortunately, migrating avatar tasks to the nearest roadside units(RSU)or unmanned aerial vehicles(UAV) for execution is a promising solution to decrease computation overhead and reduce task processing latency, while the high mobility of vehicles brings challenges for vehicles to independently perform avatar migration decisions depending on current and future vehicle status. To address these challenges, in this paper, we propose a novel avatar task migration system based on multi-agent deep reinforcement learning(MADRL) to execute immersive vehicular avatar tasks dynamically. Specifically, we first formulate the problem of avatar task migration from vehicles to RSUs/UAVs as a partially observable Markov decision process that can be solved by MADRL algorithms. We then design the multi-agent proximal policy optimization(MAPPO) approach as the MADRL algorithm for the avatar task migration problem. To overcome slow convergence resulting from the curse of dimensionality and non-stationary issues caused by shared parameters in MAPPO, we further propose a transformer-based MAPPO approach via sequential decision-making models for the efficient representation of relationships among agents. Finally, to motivate terrestrial or non-terrestrial edge servers(e.g., RSUs or UAVs) to share computation resources and ensure traceability of the sharing records, we apply smart contracts and blockchain technologies to achieve secure sharing management. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms the MAPPO approach by around 2% and effectively reduces approximately 20% of the latency of avatar task execution in UAV-assisted vehicular Metaverses.