Characteristics and distribution of geohazards since the middle miocene of the Xisha sea area, South China Sea

Geological hazards can cause significant harm to the construction and maintenance of reef infrastructure projects in the Xisha Sea area. This study uses high-resolution multichannel earthquake data, single-channel seismic profiles, and multi-beam survey data to identify and analyze the geological hazards in the Xisha Sea area since the Miocene. Based on the geophysical data interpretation, the destructive geological disaster factors that are active, such as active faults, shallow gas, diapers, landslides, multistage scarps (steps), scouring troughs, and canyons, as well as the restrictive geological disaster factors without activity ability, such as buried paleochannels, pockmarks, reefs, and undersea volcanoes, are identified and analyzed. This paper discusses the causes and hazards of geological hazards and, for the first time, draws a comprehensive plane layout of the geological hazards. The above analysis demonstrates that the scarps are mainly located around the atolls or platforms, and the slope of the southeast seabed topography is significantly higher than that of the northwest. There are seven medium and large landslides, mainly located around Yongxing Plateau and Yongle Plateau, caused by gravity and faulting. Shallow gas is mainly developed in the southern part of the North Reef and is indicated by diaper structures, faults, and gas chimneys. A series of shallow faults are developed in the study area, mainly steep normal faults. The scouring troughs are primarily distributed near the Yongxing Platform, Zhongjian North Platform, and Huaguang Platform. Submarine canyons are primarily located in the northern and southern parts of the Shidao Platform. Affected by multiple factors such as hydrodynamic conditions, the stability of sedimentary layers, and sediment supply, the scour degree varies, with the general depth ranging from several meters to several hundred meters. Underwater infrastructure in the study area should not be constructed in areas with active and destructive geological hazards. The results of this study can serve as a guide for further exploration in the Xisha area and disaster prevention and mitigation during construction activity in the area

Research on performance evaluation and optimization theory for thermal microscope imaging systems

Infrared imaging theory is an important theoretical basis for the design of infrared imaging systems, but there is no research on infrared imaging theory for designing thermal microscope imaging systems. Therefore, we studied the performance evaluation and optimization theory of thermal microscope imaging systems. In this paper, we analyzed the difference in spectral radiant flux between thermal microscope imaging and telephoto thermal imaging. The expression of signal-to-noise ratio of the output image of the thermal microscope imaging systems was derived, based on the analysis of the characteristics of thermal microscope imaging. We studied the performance evaluation model of thermal microscope imaging systems based on the minimum resolvable temperature difference and the minimum detectable temperature difference. Simulation and analysis of different detectors (ideal photon detector and ideal thermal detector) were also carried out. Finally, based on the conclusion of theoretical research, we carried out a system design and image acquisition experiment. The results show that the theoretical study of thermal microscope imaging systems in this paper can provide reference for the performance evaluation and optimization of thermal microscope imaging systems

Adaptive position calibration technique for an optical micro-scanning thermal microscope imaging system

In order to improve the spatial resolution of an optical micro-scanning thermal microscope system, the micro-scanning position must be accurately calibrated. An adaptive calibration method based on image registration and plane coordinate system is proposed. The meaning of calibration is given, and the principle and method of point calibration are introduced in detail and experiments using the real system were done. Different reconstruction methods were applied to reconstruct the visible light image and the real thermal microscope image, and the evaluation scores are given. Results of simulation and real thermal imaging processing show that the method can successfully calibrate the micro-scanning position. The method can significantly improve the oversampled reconstructed image quality, thus enhancing the spatial resolution of the system. This method can also be used in other electro-optical imaging systems

Multiplexed RNAi therapy against brain tumor-initiating cells via lipopolymeric nanoparticle infusion delays glioblastoma progression

Brain tumor-initiating cells (BTICs) have been identified as key contributors to therapy resistance, recurrence, and progression of diffuse gliomas, particularly glioblastoma (GBM). BTICs are elusive therapeutic targets that reside across the blood–brain barrier, underscoring the urgent need to develop novel therapeutic strategies. Additionally, intratumoral heterogeneity and adaptations to therapeutic pressure by BTICs impede the discovery of effective anti-BTIC therapies and limit the efficacy of individual gene targeting. Recent discoveries in the genetic and epigenetic determinants of BTIC tumorigenesis offer novel opportunities for RNAi-mediated targeting of BTICs. Here we show that BTIC growth arrest in vitro and in vivo is accomplished via concurrent siRNA knockdown of four transcription factors (SOX2, OLIG2, SALL2, and POU3F2) that drive the proneural BTIC phenotype delivered by multiplexed siRNA encapsulation in the lipopolymeric nanoparticle 7C1. Importantly, we demonstrate that 7C1 nano-encapsulation of multiplexed RNAi is a viable BTIC-targeting strategy when delivered directly in vivo in an established mouse brain tumor. Therapeutic potential was most evident via a convection-enhanced delivery method, which shows significant extension of median survival in two patient-derived BTIC xenograft mouse models of GBM. Our study suggests that there is potential advantage in multiplexed targeting strategies for BTICs and establishes a flexible nonviral gene therapy platform with the capacity to channel multiplexed RNAi schemes to address the challenges posed by tumor heterogeneity. Keywords: siRNA; lipopolymeric nanoparticle; glioblastoma transcription factor; brain tumor-initiating; cells; convection-enhanced deliver

One for Multiple: Physics-informed Synthetic Data Boosts Generalizable Deep Learning for Fast MRI Reconstruction

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a principal radiological modality that provides radiation-free, abundant, and diverse information about the whole human body for medical diagnosis, but suffers from prolonged scan time. The scan time can be significantly reduced through k-space undersampling but the introduced artifacts need to be removed in image reconstruction. Although deep learning (DL) has emerged as a powerful tool for image reconstruction in fast MRI, its potential in multiple imaging scenarios remains largely untapped. This is because not only collecting large-scale and diverse realistic training data is generally costly and privacy-restricted, but also existing DL methods are hard to handle the practically inevitable mismatch between training and target data. Here, we present a Physics-Informed Synthetic data learning framework for Fast MRI, called PISF, which is the first to enable generalizable DL for multi-scenario MRI reconstruction using solely one trained model. For a 2D image, the reconstruction is separated into many 1D basic problems and starts with the 1D data synthesis, to facilitate generalization. We demonstrate that training DL models on synthetic data, integrated with enhanced learning techniques, can achieve comparable or even better in vivo MRI reconstruction compared to models trained on a matched realistic dataset, reducing the demand for real-world MRI data by up to 96%. Moreover, our PISF shows impressive generalizability in multi-vendor multi-center imaging. Its excellent adaptability to patients has been verified through 10 experienced doctors' evaluations. PISF provides a feasible and cost-effective way to markedly boost the widespread usage of DL in various fast MRI applications, while freeing from the intractable ethical and practical considerations of in vivo human data acquisitions.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figures, 1 tabl

featuresandoriginofturbiditycurrentsedimentwavesinthehuatungbasinofftheeasterntaiwanisland

Based on numerous high-resolution seismic profiles, sediment waves and their distribution, morphological characteristics, internal structure, and potential origins were revealed in the eastern waters of Taiwan. The sediment waves are located at the junction between the Taitung Canyon and other canyons in the slope. The wave length and the wave height of a single waveform ranged from 0.8 to 7.2 km and from 18 to 75 m, respectively (NE-SW direction). Sediment waves, located inside the bend of the Taitung Canyon, were characterized by an upward migration and showed mass transport deposits (MTDs) at the bottom, while the inner curve of the bend was subdivided into lower and upper wavy transition units. The sediment waves on the outer curve of the bend were characterized by vertical accumulation, and there was no mass flow deposit at the bottom. According to the geometry of the sediment waves, the calculated flow thicknesses across the entire wave field ranged from 196 to 356 m,and the current velocity ranged from 15 to 21 cm/s. The morphological characteristics, the internal structure, and the distribution of sediment waves, as well as the numerical calculations, evidenced that these sediment waves had formed by turbidity currents. The development of the sediment wave field in eastern Taiwan was found to be similar to that in southwestern Taiwan. It was the sedimentary response of the tectonic movement between 3 and ?1 Ma which created the sedimentary systems where gravity flow processes predominated. Turbidity current sediments settled in the place of less topographical constraints or overflowed in the bend section of the Taitung Canyon, which resulted in the formation of sediment wave fields

<i>Nannochloropsis</i> as an Emerging Algal Chassis for Light-Driven Synthesis of Lipids and High-Value Products

In light of the escalating global energy crisis, microalgae have emerged as highly promising producers of biofuel and high-value products. Among these microalgae, Nannochloropsis has received significant attention due to its capacity to generate not only triacylglycerol (TAG) but also eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and valuable carotenoids. Recent advancements in genetic tools and the field of synthetic biology have revolutionized Nannochloropsis into a powerful biofactory. This comprehensive review provides an initial overview of the current state of cultivation and utilization of the Nannochloropsis genus. Subsequently, our review examines the metabolic pathways governing lipids and carotenoids, emphasizing strategies to enhance oil production and optimize carbon flux redirection toward target products. Additionally, we summarize the utilization of advanced genetic manipulation techniques in Nannochloropsis. Together, the insights presented in this review highlight the immense potential of Nannochloropsis as a valuable model for biofuels and synthetic biology. By effectively integrating genetic tools and metabolic engineering, the realization of this potential becomes increasingly feasible

The Interactions of Quantum Dot-Labeled Silk Fibroin Micro/Nanoparticles with Cells

When silk fibroin particles are used for controlled drug delivery, particle size plays a key role in the location of the carrier on the cells as well as the transport pathway, utilization efficiency, and therapeutic effect of the drugs. In this study, the interactions of different-sized silk fibroin particles and cell lines were investigated. Silk fibroin microparticles with dry size of 1.9 &plusmn; 0.4 &mu;m (2.7 &plusmn; 0.3 &mu;m in wet state) and silk fibroin nanoparticles with dry size of 51.5 &plusmn; 11.0 nm (174.8 &plusmn; 12.5 nm in wet state) were prepared by salting-out method and high-voltage electrospray method, respectively. CdSe/ZnS quantum dots were coupled to the surface of the micro/nanoparticles. Photostability observations indicated that the fluorescence stability of the quantum dots was much higher than that of fluorescein isothiocyanate. In vitro, microparticles and nanoparticles were co-cultured with human umbilical vein endothelial cells EA.hy 926 and cervical cancer cells HeLa, respectively. The fluorescence test and cell viability showed that the EA.hy926 cells tended to be adhered to the microparticle surfaces and the cell proliferation was significantly promoted, while the nanoparticles were more likely to be internalized in HeLa cells and the cell proliferation was notably inhibited. Our findings might provide useful information concerning effective drug delivery that microparticles may be preferred if the drugs need to be delivered to normal cell surface, while nanoparticles may be preferred if the drugs need to be transmitted in tumor cells

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Function of a G-Protein α Subunit Gene in the Growth and Development of <i>Pleurotus eryngii</i>

Pleurotus eryngii is a commercially important edible fungus with high nutritional and economic value. However, few functional studies have examined key genes affecting the growth and development of P. eryngii. In this study, transformed strains, including over-expression (PeGNAI-OE) and RNA interference (PeGNAI-RNAi) lines, were constructed to elucidate the role of GNAI in P. eryngii growth. GNAI expression was found to affect the mycelial growth and the number of clamp connections. Moreover, the transformed strains were shown to have higher endogenous cAMP levels, thus affecting amylase and laccase activity. Fruiting experiments showed that GNAI expression revealed the formation of P. eryngii primordia and the number of buttons, while transcription analysis identified GNAI gene involvement in the growth and development of P. eryngii. Seven downstream genes regulated by GNAI were differentially expressed in PeGNAI-OE and PeGNAI-RNAi compared to wild type (WT). These genes may be related to mycelial growth and enzyme activity. They were involved in the MAPK signaling pathway, inositol phosphate metabolism, ascorbate, aldarate metabolism, and starch and sucrose metabolism. In summary, GNAI performs different physiological functions in regulating the growth and development of P. eryngii. Importantly, the molecular mechanisms of GNAI regulatory function are relatively complex and need further study