some key issues

Ever since 1988 when Mr. Deng Xiaoping, the chief architect of the reform and opening-up policy, proposed that “science and technology are the primary produc-tive forces”, China emphasized the contribution of science and technology to the development of economy and society. Therefore, science and technology associa-tions (S&T associations,科技社团, kejishetuan) organized by scientists and techni-cians have been encouraged by the government to serve the nation’s development strategy. On the one hand, the integration of science and public affairs calls for the collaboration between the government and S&T associations in order to implement the administrative reform that limits the government and optimizes government functions. On the other hand, in the international innovation-oriented competition, the construction of an innovative country also depends on S&T associations to take over the tasks of gathering science and technology talents and improving science literacy of the entire population

Oral Chinese Herbal Medicine for Treatment of Dilated Cardiomyopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is one of the main causes of heart failure and could increase death, hospitalization, and rehospitalization rate. The effect of conventional medicine treatment (CMT) is limited; meanwhile, the combination of CMT and Oral Chinese Herbal Medicine (OCHM) represents exciting adjunctive therapies. In this study, we ascertained the therapeutic effect of OCHM in combination with CMT for dilated cardiomyopathy by using meta-analysis methods for controlled clinical trials. We searched studies from five databases and extracted data from these studies. We also assessed the methodological quality of the included studies. We evaluated the following outcome measures to estimate the prognosis in patients with DCM: left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD), stroke volume (SV), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and overall efficacy. The result showed that OCHM combined with CMT for the improvement of therapeutic effect in DCM patients. However, the evidence remains weak due to the small sample size, high clinical heterogeneity, and poor methodological quality of the included trials. Further, large sample size and well-designed trials are needed

Genetic structure and insecticide resistance characteristics of fall armyworm populations invading China

The rapid wide‐scale spread of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda ) has caused serious crop losses globally. However, differences in the genetic background of subpopulations and the mechanisms of rapid adaptation behind the invasion are still not well understood. Here we report the assembly of a 390.38Mb chromosome‐level genome of fall armyworm derived from south‐central Africa using Pacific Bioscience (PacBio) and Hi‐C sequencing technologies, with scaffold N50 of 12.9 Mb and containing 22260 annotated protein‐coding genes. Genome‐wide resequencing of 103 samples and strain identification were conducted to reveal the genetic background of fall armyworm populations in China. Analysis of genes related to pesticide‐ and Bt‐resistance showed that the risk of fall armyworm developing resistance to conventional pesticides is very high. Laboratory bioassay results showed that insects invading China carry resistance to organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticides, but are sensitive to genetically modified maize expressing the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin Cry1Ab in field experiments. Additionally, two mitochondrial fragments were found to be inserted into the nuclear genome, with the insertion event occurring after the differentiation of the two strains. This study represents a valuable advance toward improving management strategies for fall armyworm

Serving Deep Learning Model in Relational Databases

Serving deep learning (DL) models on relational data has become a critical requirement across diverse commercial and scientific domains, sparking growing interest recently. In this visionary paper, we embark on a comprehensive exploration of representative architectures to address the requirement. We highlight three pivotal paradigms: The state-of-the-artDL-Centricarchitecture offloadsDL computations to dedicated DL frameworks. The potential UDF-Centric architecture encapsulates one or more tensor computations into User Defined Functions (UDFs) within the database system. The potentialRelation-Centricarchitecture aims to represent a large-scale tensor computation through relational operators. While each of these architectures demonstrates promise in specific use scenarios, we identify urgent requirements for seamless integration of these architectures and the middle ground between these architectures. We delve into the gaps that impede the integration and explore innovative strategies to close them. We present a pathway to establish a novel database system for enabling a broad class of data-intensive DL inference applications.Comment: Authors are ordered alphabetically; Jia Zou is the corresponding autho

Metabolomics and Transcriptomics Reveal the Response Mechanisms of Mikania micrantha to Puccinia spegazzinii Infection

Mikania micrantha is one of the worst invasive species globally and can cause significant negative impacts on agricultural and forestry economics, particularly in Asia and the Pacific region. The rust Puccinia spegazzinii has been used successfully as a biological control agent in several countries to help manage M. micrantha. However, the response mechanisms of M. micrantha to P. spegazzinii infection have never been studied. To investigate the response of M. micrantha to infection by P. spegazzinii, an integrated analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics was performed. The levels of 74 metabolites, including organic acids, amino acids, and secondary metabolites in M. micrantha infected with P. spegazzinii, were significantly different compared to those in plants that were not infected. After P. spegazzinii infection, the expression of the TCA cycle gene was significantly induced to participate in energy biosynthesis and produce more ATP. The content of most amino acids, such as L-isoleucine, L-tryptophan and L-citrulline, increased. In addition, phytoalexins, such as maackiain, nobiletin, vasicin, arachidonic acid, and JA-Ile, accumulated in M. micrantha. A total of 4978 differentially expressed genes were identified in M. micrantha infected by P. spegazzinii. Many key genes of M. micrantha in the PTI (pattern-triggered immunity) and ETI (effector-triggered immunity) pathways showed significantly higher expression under P. spegazzinii infection. Through these reactions, M. micrantha is able to resist the infection of P. spegazzinii and maintain its growth. These results are helpful for us to understand the changes in metabolites and gene expression in M. micrantha after being infected by P. spegazzinii. Our results can provide a theoretical basis for weakening the defense response of M. micrantha to P. spegazzinii, and for P. spegazzinii as a long-term biological control agent of M. micrantha

Corrosion behavior of pure magnesium processed by accumulative roll bonding for biomaterial application

583-590Magnesium is one of the materials that can be used as an implant for the human body. It is because the daily intake of magnesium for an adult is 240-420 mg/day. Also, the elastic modulus (41 – 45 GPa) and density (1.74 g/cm3) of magnesium is closer to that of natural bone. However, pure magnesium in the as-cast condition has a very fast corrosion rate, 2,89mmPY in 0.9% NaCl solution. Accumulative roll bonding (ARB) is done in this recent study to improve the corrosion rate of pure magnesium. ARB is one of the severe plastic deformations (SPD) method, which provides the possibility to obtain high strained materials without a macroscopic change after a cyclic roll-bonding process (stacking, preheating and rolling). Magnesium is annealed at 250°C and 350°C for 25 minutes, and then the ARB process is done with variation; one, two, three and four cycles. The composition was tested using SEM-EDS, showing that the content of a pure magnesium plate (as annealed) is 99.77%. The grain size is observed using the optic microscope and measured by ImageJ, while the corrosion rate was measured with an electrochemical and immersion test. The result showed the smallest grain size achieved is 7.204 ± 1,185 μm and that the lowest corrosion rate is 0,0012mmPY. The polarization resistance determined the thickness and the ability of passivation area obtained with the increasing number of ARB cycles. The higher plastic deformation is recommended for improve the corrosion resistance of the metallic material for future works

Phase transformations and mechanical properties of BCC Mg-Li-Al alloys

BCC Mg-Li-Al alloys are a type of ultralight magnesium alloys. In this thesis, the strengthening mechanisms of a series of BCC Mg-Li-Al alloys were investigated using a powerful new cryogenic preparation method for atom probe tomography (APT) in combination with standard and advanced ex situ and in situ structural analysis techniques. To fundamentally support these structural studies, first principles, phase-field and physical-based modelling were carried out. A combination of modelling and experimental techniques generated conclusive morphological, chemical, crystallographic and thermodynamic evidence that the rapid and substantial strengthening in a model ternary alloy designed herein, Mg-14Li-7Al (LA147), was due to rapid spinodal decomposition. A leaner ternary alloy, Mg-11Li-3Al (LA113), was also investigated in detail, where it was shown that quench strengthening is attributed to the precipitation of coherent, nano-sized, rod-shaped Mg3Al (θ) phase which was considered to originate from the prior spinodal. The principal difference between LA147 and LA113 is that the latter generates a larger lattice mismatch between the spinodal (Al-rich zones) and BCC matrix and results in a higher rate of transformation of the Al-rich zones to the θ phase. While the θ phase in BCC Mg-Li-Al alloys is widely regarded to be a coherent but metastable phase that plays a major role in strengthening, such a microstructure has not been studied in any considerable detail. Herein, the structural and crystallographic features of θ phase was characterized. Such results were used as a platform for proposing an alloy design strategy for creating new types of ultra-high-specific strength BCC Mg-Li-Al alloys with improved thermal stability during natural and artificial ageing. The stability the metastable θ phase in the foregoing Mg-Li-Al alloys was found to be very temperature dependent, whereby temperatures above ~100 °C were sufficient to transform θ into a stable AlLi phase to cause softening. This transformation was systematically studied and correlated with changes in mechanical properties. It was found that the generation of a nano-sized HCP α Mg phase between the transforming θ phase and BCC matrix was the main factor causing a loss in strength in these alloys