Seed germination is a pivotal period of plant growth and development. This process can be divided into four major stages, swelling absorption, seed coat dehiscence, radicle emergence and radicle elongation. Cupressus gigantea, a tree native to Tibet, China, is characterized by its resistance to stresses such as cold, and drought, and has a high economic and ecological value. Nevertheless, given its unique geographic location, its seeds are difficult to germinate. Therefore, it is crucial to explore the mechanisms involved in seed germination in this species to improve the germination efficiency of its seeds, thereby protecting this high-quality resource. Here, our findings indicate that seed germination was enhanced when exposed to a 6-h/8-h light/dark photoperiod, coupled with a temperature of 20°C. Furthermore, the application of exogenous GA3 (1 mg/ml, about 2.9 mM) stimulated the germination of C. gigantea seeds. Subsequently, proteomics was used to detect changes in protein expression during the four stages of seed germination. We identified 34 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), including 13 at the radicle pre-emergence stage, and 17 at the radicle elongation stage. These DEPs were classified into eight functional groups, cytoskeletal proteins, energy metabolism, membrane transport, stress response, molecular chaperones, amino acid metabolism, antioxidant system and ABA signalling pathway. Most of them were found to be closely associated with amino acid metabolism. Combined, these findings indicate that, along with temperature and light, exogenous GA3 can increase the germination efficiency of C. gigantea seeds. Our study also offers insights into the changes in protein expression patterns in C. gigantea seeds during germination.

The authors‘ previous research has demonstrated that parallel mechanisms (PMs) with hybrid branch chains (i.e., branch chains containing planar or spatial loops) can possess symbolic forward position (SFP) solutions and motion decoupling (MD). In order to further study the conditions of a three-chain six degrees of freedom (DOF) parallel mechanism with SFP and MD, this paper proposes one 6-DOF branch chain A and two 5-DOF branch chains B and C. Based on these, a class of four 6-DOF PMs with three branch chains is devised. The symbolic position analysis of three of four such PMs is performed consequently, featuring partial MD and SFPs, which reveals that if the position or orientation of a point on the moving platform can be determined by the position of the hybrid branch chain, the PM exhibits partial MD and SFP. Finally, the accuracy of the symbolized forward and inverse solution algorithms is verified through numerical examples. This research brings a new insight into the design and position analysis of 6-DOF PMs, particularly those with SFP and partial MD.

The purposes of this study were: (1) to review the preparation and characterization of the intergrowth between goethite and hematite crystals; and (2) to propose a schematic diagram of the epitaxial relationships among three sets of (100) goethite twin crystals associated with the (001) orientation of the hexagonal prism of hematite. The Fe(ClO4)3 solution was prepared and aged at 70°C, which precipitated goethite initially and produced hematite later with prolonged aging. Goethite and hematite aged for 20 days were observed as star-shaped and hexagonal prisms, respectively. The results suggest that hematite could form later using goethite as a template surface. A selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern showed the epitaxial relationship among three sets of (100) goethite intergrowth crystals and hexagonal prisms with the (001) orientation of hematite. Goethite can be produced as lath-, X-, K-, or star-shaped crystals on the (100) orientation, depending on the Fe(ClO4)3 concentrations and the addition of HClO4 to Fe solution samples which were aged for a prolonged period at room temperature. The initial solubility products [(Fe3+)(OH–)3] of the sample solution, rather than the nature of the nuclei, are the key factors governing the formation of goethite or hematite. The addition of acids and high concentrations of iron solutions extend the secondary hydrolysis and induction period (IP) and favor the formation of hematite. The index of the SAED pattern of the star-shaped goethite intergrowth twin crystal has a (100) plane parallel to this basal plane and rotates at a 60° angle between two or three sets of lath-shaped goethite crystals, which share the (011) plane and form goethite twins with ‘interpenetrated’ crystal growth. Stereoscopic viewing using Oak Ridge Thermal Ellipsoid Plot (ORTEP) and CrystalMaker software was deployed to explore the relationship and configuration of oxygen atoms between pseudo-hexagonal (100) goethite associated with hexagonal (001) hematite lattice planes. A schematic diagram of the epitaxial relationship between star-shaped (100) goethite, which is acting as a template facilitating later precipitation of (001) hexagonal prisms of hematite on it, is presented.

Schistosomiasis, a parasite infectious disease caused by Schistosoma japonicum, often leads to egg granuloma and fibrosis due to the inflammatory reaction triggered by egg antigens released in the host liver. This study focuses on the role of the egg antigens CP1412 protein of S. japonicum (SjCP1412) with RNase activity in promoting liver fibrosis. In this study, the recombinant egg ribonuclease SjCP1412, which had RNase activity, was successfully prepared. By analysing the serum of the population, it has been proven that the anti-SjCP1412 IgG in the serum of patients with advanced schistosomiasis was moderately correlated with liver fibrosis, and SjCP1412 may be an important antigen associated with liver fibrosis in schistosomiasis. In vitro, the rSjCP1412 protein induced the human liver cancer cell line Hep G2 and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells apoptosis and necrosis and the release of proinflammatory damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). In mice infected with schistosomes, rSjCP1412 immunization or antibody neutralization of SjCP1412 activity significantly reduced cell apoptosis and necroptosis in liver tissue, thereby reducing inflammation and liver fibrosis. In summary, the SjCP1412 protein plays a crucial role in promoting liver fibrosis during schistosomiasis through mediating the liver cells apoptosis and necroptosis to release DAMPs inducing an inflammatory reaction. Blocking SjCP1412 activity could inhibit its proapoptotic and necrotic effects and alleviate hepatic fibrosis. These findings suggest that SjCP1412 may be served as a promising drug target for managing liver fibrosis in schistosomiasis japonica.

Typical unconventional gas/liquid plays of China were studied using field-emission/focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for clay mineralogy and microstructural development. The SEM microstructural investigations of clay-rich shale and mudstone reservoirs provided significant information about clay mineral type, size, distribution and aggregates, which allows for interpretations regarding porosity preservation and petrophysical variability. The major clay-hosted porosity types are interparticle clay pores, intraparticle clay pores and aggregate pores. Interparticle clay pores occur in open spaces of the clay aggregates and include four subtypes: (1) elongated pores, (2) packed pores, (3) jagged pores and (4) card-house pores. Intraparticle clay pores are present within clay particles and have mostly secondary origin. These pores are diagenesis dependent and are restricted to secondary illite particles during the transformation of clay minerals from smectite to illite. Intraparticle clay pores constitute only isolated porosity and could not contribute to hydrocarbon molecule storage and migration. Aggregate pores were predominantly encountered in association with organic–clay and pyrite–clay aggregates. In places, organic–pyrite–clay aggregates can also display polymerization, but they do not contribute significantly to overall porosity and permeability. Combining SEM morphological analyses with the software ImageJ is critical in clay microstructure and porosity analyses via semi-quantitative characterization of the 3D pore surface, 2D pore profile, pore quantity, pore size, areal porosity, etc. These visual and semi-quantitative results highlight the significance of jagged pores and pyrite–clay aggregate pores in shale gas/liquid reservoirs because they may be important facilitators of gas storage and transmission.

A high-energy, alignment-insensitive, injection-seeded Q-switched Ho:yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) single-frequency laser is developed. Both the slave Q-switched laser and the seed laser are Ho:YAG ring lasers based on a pair of corner cubic reflectors. The seed laser has an available power of 830 mW at 2096.667 nm. At 100 Hz, the Q-switched Ho:YAG laser provides a single-frequency pulsed output using injection-seeded technology. The 7.3 mJ single-frequency pulse energy from the slave laser has a pulse width of 161.2 ns and is scaled to 33.3 mJ after passing through the Ho:YAG single-pass amplifier. According to the measurement results of the heterodyne beating technique, the single-frequency pulse has a half-width of 4.12 MHz.

Owing to inherent flexibility, compliant actuator with physical elastic elements can implement compliant interactions between robot and environment. Nonlinear stiffness elastic actuators (NSEAs) use one motor to adjust position and stiffness, which improve compactness of variable stiffness actuators, and consider high torque/force resolution and high bandwidth. The primary challenge of designing a NSEA is designing a reliable compliant mechanism with a given torque-deflection profile. In this study, a general design method of torsional compliant mechanism through given discrete torque-deflection points was proposed, where a chain algorithm based on 2R pseudo-rigid-body model was used to describe the large deformation in elastic elements. Moreover, the theoretical model of stiffness of a compliant mechanism based on series flexible beams was developed. Based on the proposed model, the dimensional parameters of proposed compliant mechanism were designed satisfying the condition of the given torque-deflection points. Finally, simulation and physical experiment of the designed compliant mechanism through three given torque-deflection points are conducted to show the effectiveness of the proposed method. The designed compliant mechanism was tested and evaluated in the self-developed NSEA.

E-commerce in China has developed and expanded rapidly in recent years. Conflicts and confrontations have accumulated in parallel. Using Taobao e-marketplace – one pillar platform of the Alibaba group – as its case, this article aims to analyse the developmental logic and profit-seeking strategies of e-commerce capitalism in China and beyond. It also investigates how small online merchants responded to and resisted the particular rent-extractive and exclusive mechanisms designed by the platform. I attempt to identify the emerging responses from below to both the creative and destructive sides of this newest capitalist development in China. I argue that, despite the militancy and innovation involved in these movements, and despite the use of Maoist rhetoric borrowed from the past, the contentious collective actions (online or offline) organized by these small online merchants lack the solidarity, the shared identity and consciousness, and the powerful ideological language observed among the “traditional” working class in industrial capitalism, and hence they are more improvised, transient, and easily defeated.

Although many organizations encourage employees to voice, employees may be reluctant to voice directly because they are afraid that their supervisors will perceive it as challenging their face (i.e., the positive image or social value of an individual). Alternatively, employees could deliver improvements or express concerns to their supervisors using indirect and implicit approaches, which we refer to as ‘implicit voice delivery’. Applying face theory, we examine the antecedents and outcomes as well as two boundary conditions of implicit voice delivery in organizations with two studies. In Study 1, we define the construct and develop a measure of implicit voice delivery. In Study 2, we test our proposed model with supervisor-subordinate dyadic data from a time-lagged survey. Results demonstrate that concern for other people's face drives employees to express their voices implicitly and that this relationship is stronger when supervisors’ concern for their own face is high rather than low. In addition, implicit voice delivery is associated with supervisors’ favorable response in terms of voice endorsement. Furthermore, the effect on voice endorsement is stronger when the supervisor is more able to infer meaning from implicit messages. Theoretical contribution and managerial implications are discussed.

How can we leverage digital technologies to enhance language learning and bilingual representation? In this digital era, our theories and practices for the learning and teaching of second languages (L2) have lagged behind the pace of scientific advances and technological innovations. Here we outline the approach of digital language learning (DLL) for L2 acquisition and representation, and provide a theoretical synthesis and analytical framework regarding DLL's current and future promises. Theoretically, DLL provides a forum for understanding differences between child language and adult L2 learning, and the effects of learning context and learner characteristics. Practically, findings from learner behaviors, cognitive and affective processing, and brain correlates can inform DLL-based language pedagogies. Because of its highly interdisciplinary nature, DLL can serve as an approach to integrate cognitive, social, affective, and neural dimensions of L2 learning with new and emerging technologies including VR, AI, and big data analytics.