Objective: To investigate self-stigma’s influence on schizophrenia patients’ quality of life and its mediated impact by various factors. Methods: This study adopted a cross-sectional design and randomly selected 170 hospitalized patients with schizophrenia for evaluation. The assessment tools included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI), Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SQLS), Coping Questionnaire for Schizophrenia Patients (CQSP), and Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS). Correlation analysis, regression analysis, and mediation analysis were used to test the correlation and mediation effects. Results: Self-stigma had a significant impact on quality of life (T = 8.13, p = 0.00). Self-esteem (T = -2.11, p = 0.04) and coping strategies, specifically problem-solving (T = -2.58, p = 0.01) and avoidance (T = 4.65, p = 0.00), have a greater impact on self-stigma. When self-stigma is used as a mediator, the problem-solving factor in coping strategies has an indirect effect on quality of life, which is significant (AB = -0.16, P = 0.02), while the avoidance factor in coping strategies has a direct effect on quality of life, which is significant (C’ = 0.54, p < 0.001), and an indirect effect, which is also significant (AB = 0.25, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Self-stigma has a significant impact on quality of life. Clinical work to improve the quality of life of patients with schizophrenia should focus on self-stigma and factors that affect self-stigma, especially self-esteem and coping strategies.

Over the last few decades, the agricultural industry has witnessed significant advancements in autonomous systems, primarily aimed at improving efficiency while reducing environmental impact. The critical role of complete coverage path planning cannot be overstated in this context. It involves determining an optimal path for tasks such as harvesting, mowing, and spraying, taking into account various factors like land topography, operational requirements, and robot characteristics. Our previous approach introduced a tree-based exploration method to generate potential solutions, coupled with an optimization process to select the best ones, considering field complexities and robot characteristics. Yet, despite its strengths, it had certain limitations, notably in computational time and number of examined driving directions. In this paper, we present a novel hybrid method that combines the comprehensive coverage benefits of our original approach with the computational efficiency of the Fields2Cover algorithm. Besides combining our previous approach and Fieds2Cover strengths for optimizing coverage area, overlaps, non-working path length and overall travel time, it significantly improves the computation process, enhances the flexibility of trajectory generation. It also takes into account the working trajectory inclinations for more advanced optimization to address soil erosion and energy consumption. In an effort to support this innovative approach, we have also created and made available a public dataset. This dataset includes both 2D and 3D representations of thirty agricultural fields located in France. This resource not only illustrates the effectiveness of our approach but also provides an invaluable data for future research in complete coverage path planning within the context of modern agriculture.

Aiming at the problem of weak yawing controllability of solar-powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with low-speed and high aspect-ratio Blended Wing Body (BWB) configuration, based on the large-scale aerodynamic characteristics of the biomimetic swallow tail, the influence of different opening methods and angles of the swallow tail on the aerodynamic characteristics and stability and controllability of an UAV was derived. The mechanism of the higher yawing control efficiency of the differential throttle compared to the conventional rudder is analyzed in order to significantly decrease the control efficiency at small throttle. We innovatively propose a yawing control method combining the opening of the swallow tail to a moderately separation state of local airflow and we validate it for the case of the landing control of a solar-powered UAV. The flight dynamics mode characteristics show that this control method has little impact on the lateral-directional stability of the UAV and that the control efficiency can be reserved to the same level of cruise state. Therefore, the control law of cruise state can be applied to landing state with swallow tail open directly, which enhances the lateral-directional control ability of the UAVs in a simple but efficiently way. Flight simulation and flight test results show that the proposed bionic control method of the swallow tail combined with differential throttle can effectively enhance the landing control ability of the UAVs, improve the response speed, and reduce the trajectory error.

Magic mushrooms are fungi that produce psilocybin, a compound with breakthrough status for treatment of mental health disorders. Wood-degrading species of Psilocybe, such as P. subaeruginosa and relatives, have high concentrations of psilocybin but are discouraged for clinical production due to a temporary paralytic side effect known as Wood Lover’s Paralysis, the cause of which is unknown. We studied P. subaeruginosa over its partial distribution in Australia based on genomic analyses of 89 isolates to investigate population structure and species boundaries, examine allelic diversity at psilocybin loci, and test its centre of origin. Psilocybe subaeruginosa is structured by geography in Australia, but geographically separated populations are fully sexually compatible. Allelic diversity among populations, such as at mating compatibility loci, is likely a result of genetic drift and minimal gene flow since differentiation from a shared ancestor. Movement of woodchips, mulch, or plants has most likely spread genotypes of P. subaeruginosa locally within Australia and to the northern hemisphere. Species from the northern hemisphere, namely P. azurescens and P. cyanescens, clustered among Australian populations, indicating shared ancestry and supporting a hypothesis these taxa are conspecific with P. subaeruginosa. We identified high allelic diversity in genes of the psilocybin metabolic pathway and haplotypes of P. subaeruginosa with either one or two putatively functional paralogs of psiH, however the functionality of this gene duplication is yet to be determined. Our study provides insights into the evolutionary history and species boundaries of P. subaeruginosa, which has a centre of origin in Australasia.

The grounding circulation current of sheath and armor of single-core AC submarine cables is high during operation, which can easily cause insulation damage and faults. Traditional methods that only monitor the amplitude of grounding circulation current is difficult to detect defects in the cables, so further research is needed on the mathematical mechanism and detection methods of grounding circulation current. A mathematical model for the capacitance and impedance coupling of a single-core submarine cable was established, and the influence of factors such as active power, length of armor stripping section, armor resistivity, armor magnetic permeability and grounding resistance on the grounding circulation current was analyzed. A method for identifying abnormal grounding circulation current of submarine cables based on the combination of amplitude and phase was proposed.

Farmland habitats are witnessing steep declines in biodiversity. One rapidly declining farmland species is the Ortolan Bunting. In Finland, a staggering 99% of the population has been lost during the past 30 years. Changes in the breeding habitats have been proposed as a reason for the decline, although hazards during migration and wintering may also play a role. We gathered a 19-year data set of Finnish Ortolan Buntings and studied which spatial characteristics, habitat features, and climate factors might explain the population growth rate at the singing-group level. As explanatory variables we used region, density of small-scale landscape structures, proportion of agricultural area in the landscape, diversity of crop types, proportion of bare ground, and temperature and precipitation of previous breeding season. The only region with a marginally positive growth rate was North Ostrobothnia, where the species often occupies newly established fields. High crop type diversity mitigated the declines by perhaps providing a wide array of feeding, hiding and nesting places. Bare ground benefited Ortolan Buntings by perhaps providing an easy access to food. The last Ortolan Buntings occurred in landscapes dominated by interconnected agricultural land which, we think, reflects the species’ sociability and avoidance of forested areas. We suggest that agricultural intensification and the following potential reduction in food availability may be a cause of the decline of Ortolan Bunting. As general conservation measures, such as promoting set-aside land or field margins, have been inadequate, either in effect or in extent of application, it is evident that work remains. Northern populations of Ortolan Bunting should be targeted for further studies on feeding and breeding ecology as well as for urgent conservation actions, such as increasing crop type diversity and bare ground. Promoting more multi-functional and agro-ecologically managed agricultural landscapes would benefit a wider range of farmland species as well.

Breast cancer is the primary cause of cancer-related mortality among women. Most deaths from breast cancer are caused by the disease coming back or spreading to other regions of the body. Only around a quarter to a third of women with advanced breast cancer will make it to their fifth year. EMT, invasion, loss of cell-to-cell adhesion, phenotypic change, extravasation, tumor microenvironment, and secondary-site colonization are all steps in the chain of events that constitutes breast cancer metastasis. The distant stromal cell undergoes epigenetic change to become a secondary tumor. The longest non-coding RNAs, or LncRNAs, have estimated base-pair lengths between 200 nt and 100 kb and are one of the most important epigenetic regulators. Important for breast cancer metastasis, lncRNA acts as a sponge for miRNA, degrades or silences particular mRNA, or interferes with enzymes and microprocessor subunits involved in miRNA production. LncRNA also modulates cell signaling pathways and affects the expression of numerous genes known to be involved in the spread of breast cancer. The purpose of this review is to offer a better knowledge of the function of lncRNA in the control of breast cancer metastasis. We also provided a brief overview of some of the most important lncRNAs that control the genes and signaling pathways that drive breast cancer invasion and metastasis.

Because the breast is seen as a symbol of beauty, sexuality, and motherhood, a woman diagnosed with breast cancer has extreme emotional stress during the inquiry, diagnosis, and treatment processes. The breast has several symbolic and sexual functions in addition to its fundamental function of nourishing infants. Numerous serum proteins and naturally occurring oncogenic genes have been investigated as possible biomarkers for breast cancer (BC) as cutting-edge molecular technologies like microarray and RNA/DNASeq have advanced. Small, non-coding microRNAs have emerged as key regulators in oncogenesis pathways and as potential non-invasive biomarkers for clinical diagnosis. This emerging chemical for cancer detection and prognosis belongs to a new family of noninvasive biomarkers. Insights into the principles of tumor growth and the identification of potential early powerful noninvasive indicators for early diagnosis of breast cancer may result from a better knowledge of the role of miRNAs in carcinogenesis. Recent clinical research has shown that miRNAs may be found in bodily fluids including serum and plasma, suggesting that they might be used as noninvasive biomarkers of illness. In this review, we compile the latest data demonstrating miRNAs' value as an innovative early diagnostic and prognostic tool. Here, we present the clinical use and applicability of miRNAs in breast cancer, which might inform future early stage detection techniques.

Objective The purpose of this research was to summarize what is currently known about the role of microRNAs in breast cancer and their possible clinical use based on articles published in peer-reviewed publications up to March 2014. Results MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a kind of tiny RNA that typically range in length from 21 to 25 nucleotides. It is already common knowledge that microRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in almost every cellular activity in the body, from development to tumorigenesis. MiRNAs in the bloodstream have been demonstrated to be appealing, readily detectable tumor biomarkers in a number of investigations. Breast cancer is among the most frequent forms of the disease. Different subtypes have been shown to have varying therapeutic responses, metastatic potential, and medication resistance in clinical trials. MicroRNAs may be useful in several aspects of breast cancer care, including diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Conclusion To choose the most appropriate treatment for each patient, molecular understanding is essential. MicroRNAs have promising use in cancer treatment.

Background Anthracycline treatment often causes cardiotoxicity in breast cancer patients. Imaging and cardiac biomarkers are now used as criteria for cardiotoxicity. However, new biomarkers to aid in early detection are needed. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of tiny, non-coding RNA molecules with a significant function in controlling how genes are expressed. Several microRNAs (miRNAs) have been linked to cardiovascular illness and are being studied as indicators for cardiotoxicity caused by cancer treatments. Methods Medline/PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus, Lilacs, Web of Science, and Embase were all searched systematically, and they will remain open until April 2020. Included were cohort studies reporting miRNA biomarkers in breast cancer patients with and without anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. In addition, we looked through miRTarBase for miRNA-target interactions that have been verified in the lab. Results Only five of the 209 studies that were found met the requirements for inclusion. Two population-based cohorts confirmed the validity of Let-7f, miR-1, miR-20a, miR-126, and miR-210. In the epirubicin-cardiotoxicity group, compared to the non-cardiotoxicity group, the levels of the pro-angiogenic miRNAs let-7f, miR-20a, miR-126, and miR-210 were considerably lower. Although alterations in miR-1 levels have been debated in doxorubicin-treated breast cancer patients with cardiotoxicity, they have been demonstrated to give diagnostic and prognostic information in the context of myocardial infarction. Target genes for let-7f, miR-1, miR-20a, miR-126, and miR-210 were used to compile a cardiotoxicity-related reactome pathway. Conclusion In breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy with anthracyclines, the evidence suggests that let-7f, miR-1, miR-20a, miR-126, and miR-210 are linked to cardiotoxicity.

Scalable single use adherent cell-based biomanufacturing platforms are part of solutions to realize the full potential of cell and gene therapies. Here, we reported the development of an innovative fixed bed bioreactor platform for the scale-up of adherent cell culture. The bioreactor platform is centered on a packed bed of woven polyethylene terephthalate mesh discs that are vertically stacked and sandwiched between two fluid guide plates. Computational fluid dynamics modeling was used to direct the design and development of bioreactor series, targeting uniform flow with minimal shear stress. Residence time distribution measurements revealed that a pulse injected dye tracer solution passed through the bioreactors with great uniformity and narrow distribution of residence time, mimicking plug flow. Periodic media sampling with an offline analyzer showed that there was minimal gradient of four important metabolites (glucose, glutamine, lactate, and ammonia) across the bioreactor throughout cell growth. The bioreactor platform was further validated in automated cell harvesting with ~96% efficiency and ~98% viability, as well as linear scalability, in terms of both operational parameters and performance, for cell culture and adeno-associated virus vector production. Finally, mathematic models based on oxygen uptake rates were developed and proven effective to model cell growth curves and estimate biomass in real-time. This study shows that this innovative fixed bed bioreactor platform enables linearly scalable adherent cell-based biomanufacturing with high productivity.

Non-toxic, highly sensitive InP quantum dot (QD) fluorescent immunoassay probes are the promising biomedical detection modalities due to their unique properties. However, InP-based QDs are prone to surface oxidation, and the stability of InP QD-based probes in biocompatible environments remains a crucial challenge because of the contradiction between lattice stress relaxation and thick shell growth. Herein, we developed thick-shell InP-based core/shell QDs by inserting a ZnSeS alloy layer, which effectively facilitated lattice stress relaxation and passivate defect states. The synthesized InP/ZnSe/ZnSeS/ZnS core/alloy shell/shell QDs (CAS-InP QDs) with nanostructure tailoring revealed a larger size, high PLQY and high optical stability. After amphiphilic polymer encapsulation, the aqueous CAS-InP QDs presented an almost constant fluorescence attenuation and stable PL intensity under different temperature, UV radiation and pH solutions. To further improve the sensitivity, the biotin-streptavidin (Bio-SA) system was firstly introduced in the fluorescence-linked immunosorbent assay (FLISA). Consequently, the CAS-InP QDs-based SA-Bio sandwich FLISA realized the detection of C-reactive protein (CRP) with the impressive limit of detection (LOD) of 0.83 ng mL−1. It is believed that stable and sensitive InP QD fluorescent probes will drive the rapid development for future eco-friendly, cost-effective and sensitive in vitro diagnostic kits.

A document by Anastassia Y. Borisova. Click on the document to view its contents.

As a well-conserved histone variant, H2A.Z epigenetically regulates plant growth and development as well as the interaction with environmental factors. However, the role of H2A.Z in response to salt stress remains unclear, and whether nucleosomal H2A.Z occupancy work on the gene responsiveness upon salinity is obscure. Here, we elucidate the involvement of H2A.Z in salt response by analyzing H2A.Z disorder plants with impaired or overloaded H2A.Z deposition. The salt tolerance is dramatically accompanied by H2A.Z deficiency and reacquired in H2A.Z OE lines. H2A.Z disorder changes the expression profiles of large-scale of salt responsive genes, announcing that H2A.Z is required for plant salt response. Genome-wide H2A.Z mapping shows that H2A.Z level is induced by salt condition across promoter, TSS and TES (-1 kb to +1kb), the peaks preferentially enrich at promoter regions near TSS. We further show that H2A.Z deposition within TSS provides a direct role on transcriptional control, which has both repressive and activating effects, while it is found generally H2A.Z enrichment negatively correlate with gene expression level response to salt stress. This study shed light on the H2A.Z function in salt tolerance, highlighting the complex regulatory mechanisms of H2A.Z on transcriptional activity for yielding appropriate responses to particularly environmental stress.

The revolutionary synergy between renewable energy sources and sustainable materials and technology is investigated in this article. The research digs into the important interaction between renewable energy generation and eco-friendly materials, investigating the underlying concepts, technical advancements, environmental advantages, and economic prospects that result from this integration. The importance of cutting-edge technology in improving renewable energy systems and their components, such as solar panels and wind turbines, is emphasized in the study. It also looks into the economic benefits, such as job development, green sector expansion, and energy security. Furthermore, the paper examines issues such as technology constraints and regulatory impediments, as well as solutions for overcoming these restrictions. The study highlights effective examples of renewable energy integration with sustainable materials through informative case studies, giving important real-world examples. This study adds to the conversation on sustainable energy solutions by underlining the critical role of combining renewable energy sources with environmentally aware materials and technology to create a greener, more sustainable future.

The use of head-mounted augmented reality (AR) for surgeries has grown rapidly in recent years. AR aids in intraoperative surgical navigation through overlaying 3D holographic reconstructions of medical data. However, performing AR surgeries on complex areas poses challenges in terms of accuracy and speed. This study explores the feasibility of an AR guidance system for resections of positive tumor margins at the head and neck region. We present an intraoperative solution that enables surgeons to access holographic reconstructions of resected cadaver tissues. The solution involves using 3D scanner to capture detailed scans of the resected tissue, which are uploaded into our software. It then converts these scans into holograms that are viewable through a head-mounted AR display. Surgeons navigates the tumor site by re-aligning these holograms with cadavers using gestures or voice commands. This workflow runs concurrently with frozen section analysis. On average, we achieve an uploading time of 2.98 min, visualization time of 1.05 min and re-alignment time of 4.39 min, within the 20 - 30 min window for frozen section analysis. We achieve a mean re-alignment error of 3.1 mm. Our software provides a foundation for new product development in using AR to navigate complex anatomy in surgery.

Cantharidin (CTD) is the main active component in the traditional Chinese medicine Mylabris and an effective anti-tumor agent. However, it is relatively toxic and exhibits nephrotoxicity, which limits its clinical use. However, its toxic mechanism is not clear. The toxic effects of CTD exposure on the kidney and the protective effect of resveratrol were studied in a mouse model, by determination of serum biochemical and renal antioxidant indicators, histopathological and ultrastructural observation, and metabonomics. After CTD exposure, serum uric acid, creatinine, and tissue oxidative stress indicators increased, and the renal glomerular and tubular epithelial cells showed clear pathological damage. Ultrastructure observation revealed marked mitochondrial swelling, endoplasmic reticulum dilation, and the presence of autophagy lysosomes in glomerular epithelial cells. Resveratrol ameliorated the renal injury induced by CTD. Metabonomics analysis indicated that CTD can induce apoptosis and oxidative damage in kidney cells, mainly by disrupting sphingolipid and glutathione metabolism. RES counteracts these effects by regulating renal cell proliferation, the inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, by improving the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway, thereby reducing CTD-induced nephrotoxicity. The mechanisms of CTD-induced nephrotoxicity and the protective effect of RES were revealed by metabonomics, providing a basis for evaluating clinical treatment regimens to reduce CTD-induced nephrotoxicity.

Oasis, as a predominant and distinctive resource in arid regions, plays an important role in maintaining land stability, human production and living activities. The research on oasis transition dynamics and driving factors owns vital significance in supporting arid regions sustainable development. As a typical mountain-desert-oasis landscape, Turpan-Hami (Tuha) Basin in Xinjiang of China, exhibits sophisticated interactions among different land types. In this study, we inspected the spatio-temporal patterns and transition processes of the oasis using a complex network during 1990 and 2020 in Tuha Basin. In the oasis transition network, degree value, betweenness centrality, and average path length were calculated to express the transition relationship, key oasis type, and oasis structural stability, corresponding. Six factors were selected to investigate the driving forces for oasis transition behind climate change and human activities. Our results showed that the oasis area of Tuha Basin, including natural oasis and artificial oasis, all grew from 1990 to 2020, with the natural oasis expanding more than the artificial oasis. The transitions between oasis types became more frequent as the number of the nodes increased throughout the study period. Grassland acted as the most important oasis type in the network with the highest betweenness centrality, but its importance declined due to the increasing complexity in the oasis transition network from 1990 to 2020. The transitions between oasis types became simpler and the oasis structural stability were increasingly unstable. Through the driving analysis, the oasis changes showed positive correlation with temperature ( P-value < 0.05, r = 0.88), and urbanization and industrialization factors prompted the transitions of built-up and cropland from grassland and shrubland. Totally, preventing the degraded grassland and excessive reclamation of land cover, protecting the shrubland and water resources are suggested in this study to conduct a harmonious symbiotic relationship between natural environment and human activities, and promote the oasis sustainable development.

Solving the healthy and coordinated development of rural population-land-industry (PLI) elements is a primary manifestation of overcoming extreme poverty. It holds significant importance for promoting comprehensive rural revitalization and achieving global sustainable development. Based on panel data from 80 county-level spatial units in the Qinling-Daba Mountains of China from 2010 to 2020, this article explores the spatial coupling and coordinated development relationship of rural PLI elements. It provides decision-making references for poverty-stricken mountainous areas’ rural revitalization and regional sustainable development. The research results show that the rural PLI elements in the Qinling-Daba Mountains are at a relatively low level. The population is mainly concentrated in the east and west, while arable land is primarily distributed in basins and valleys. The industrial distribution is typical in the southern foothills of Daba Mountain and Nanyang Basin. The static coupling degree has gone through a stage of adjustment and high-level coupling interweaving, while the dynamic coupling degree is mainly negative in terms of PLI development. The coupling coordination of rural PLI elements is mainly at a primary coordination level, with regional differences between high-value and low-value areas mainly related to terrain. Economic development and the natural environment have the most significant impact on the coordinated development of rural PLI coupling. Therefore, in the future, the Qinling-Daba Mountains should focus on coordinating the relationship between the natural environment and economic development, enhancing regional system innovation capabilities and research on land spatial governance strategies to promote high-quality development in the region. This study provides new insights into the coordinated development of rural PLI coupling in China’s concentrated contiguous poverty-stricken areas. It also offers decision-making references for achieving high-quality sustainable development in rural areas of other poverty-stricken regions worldwide.

The coupling and coordinated relationship between the ecological environment and carbon emissions is critical to the sustained development of human society. The remote sensing eco-index (RSEI) model has been applied to the assessment and monitoring of ecological environment quality, but RSEI neglects air pollution, and thus this study introduced aerosol optical depth (AOD) into the index system and constructed a novel ARSEI to evaluate the ecological environment quality and analyze the spatial-temporal changes in ARSEI and energy-related carbon emission (ECE) at the county level in China. Additionally, we further investigate the local relationship between ARSEI and ECE in China by using the coupled coordination model (CCD). The outcomes showed that: (1) Compared with the RSEI, the ARSEI widened the gap in ecological quality between the east and the west along the Heihe-Tengchong line; (2) ARSEI value was significantly increased in 24.70% of areas in China, mainly in the Northeast Plain, Loess Plateau, and Tarim Basin. ARSEI value was significantly decreased in 5.35% of areas in China, mainly in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, the northern part of the Tianshan Mountains, eastern coastal cities, and central urban agglomerations; (3) ECE dispersed from east to the west from 2000 to 2017, with an average annual increase of > 0.3 megatons in 354 counties, densely distributed in the eastern coastal urban agglomerations, Loess Plateau, and sporadically distributed in some central and western cities in China; (4) CCD distribution showed a “west-low-east-high” pattern, with an upward trend in CCD value in the majority of surveyed counties (2,241), and a downward trend in some counties (171) in southwest, south, and central China. Based on these results, recommendations are proposed at the county and above levels for coordinated and sustainable development of urban economy and ecology.

In this thorough review paper, Accurate train delay forecasting is crucial for optimizing scheduling efficiency, enhancing passenger experience, and maintaining the overall efficiency of railway systems. Traditional approaches to train delay prediction often rely on simplistic mathematical models, which may not capture the complex temporal and spatial dependencies inherent in rail networks. In this study, we propose the use of Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN) as a powerful alternative for train delay forecasting. RNNs leverage the capabilities of deep learning to effectively model the intricate relationships and dependencies within historical rail data. By combining iterative and convolutional layers, RNNs can capture the complexity of rail systems, enabling more accurate and timely predictions. Our model incorporates various factors such as historicalweather data, station-specific information, and scheduling details to provide comprehensive insights into train delays. The main objective of this study is to compare the performance of RNN-based machine learning methods with traditional approaches for train delay prediction. We analyze a large dataset encompassing different railway types and operating conditions. Through rigorous evaluation of accuracy, precision, and robustness, we demonstrate the superiority of RNN-basedmethods in train delay forecasting. Our experimental results reveal significantimprovements in short-term and long-term delay predictions, showcasing the ability of RNNs to capture time- dependent patterns and complex spatial relationships within rail systems. Furthermore, the integration of complementary data sources enhances the predictive power of the model. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential of RNN-based machine learning methods as a powerful tool for improving the accuracy and reliability of train delay prediction. By harnessing the capabilities of deep learning, we contribute to the optimization of rail operations, benefiting both passengers and rail operators in terms of efficiency and reliability.

This paper addresses constrained attitude control problems of flexible spacecraft on SO(3) subject to external disturbances and stochastic uncertainties without modal variable measurement. To handle the attitude constraints, an artificial potential function (APF) is constructed based on the rotation matrix. By combining the super-twisting control technique and the APF, a robust control law is proposed to achieve constrained attitude control of flexible spacecraft with external disturbances. Furthermore, an adaptive robust control law is developed without prior information on the bound of the norm of flexible vibration and external disturbances. The results are then extended to the case that stochastic uncertainties exist and the adaptive robust control law is modified by designing a Lyapunov-function-based control parameter. Numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control laws.

Bitterling fishes evolve an idiosyncratic symbiosis with freshwater mussels, in which they are obligated to spawn in the gills of mussels for reproduction. In recent years, freshwater mussel populations have been drastically diminishing, due to accelerating anthropogenic impacts, which can be large threats to the risk of bitterling’s extinction cascade (i.e. ‘coextinction’). The host mussel size may be an important factor driving the adaptation and evolution of bitterling’s reproductive phenotypes. Here we examined the host size preference and morphological adaptation of female bitterling to the host size from 17 localities at the Han River in Korea. Using our developed molecular-based species identification for bitterling’s eggs/larvae inside the mussels, we further determined the spawning patterns of seven bitterling species. Mean length of spawned mussels (N=453) was significantly larger than that of unspawned mussels (N=1,814), suggesting that bitterling prefers to use larger hosts as a spawning ground. Spawning probability was clearly greater as mussel size increases. Results of our reciprocal transplant experiments do provide some evidence supporting the ‘bitterling’s larger host preference’ hypothesis. Interspecific competition appeared to be intense as two fish species often spawned eggs in the same mussel individuals simultaneously. Longer ovipositor and more elongated egg may evolve in females of Tanakia signifier in response to larger host environments. The observed bitterling’s spawning preference for large-sized mussels may evolve perhaps because of the fitness advantage in relation to the offspring survival. Our findings further inform on the development of effective conservation and management strategy for the endangered bitterling fishes.

Animal societies use nestmate recognition to protect against social cheaters and parasites. In most social insect societies individuals recognize and exclude any non-nestmates and the roles of cuticular hydrocarbons as recognition cues are well documented. Some ambrosia beetles live in cooperatively breeding societies with farmed fungus cultures that are challenging to establish, but of very high value once established. Hence, social cheaters that sneak into a nest without paying the costs of nest foundation may be selected. Therefore, nestmate recognition is also expected to exist in ambrosia beetles, but so far nobody has investigated this behavior and its underlying mechanisms. Here we studied the ability for nestmate recognition in the cooperatively breeding ambrosia beetle Xyleborinus saxesenii, combining behavioural observations and cuticular hydrocarbon analyses. Laboratory nests of X. saxesenii were exposed to foreign adult females from the same population, another population and another species. Survival as well as behaviours of the foreign female were observed. Behaviours of the receiving individuals were also observed. We expected that increasing genetic distance would cause increasing distance in chemical profiles and increasing levels of behavioural exclusion and possibly mortality. Chemical profiles differed between populations and appeared as variable as in other highly social insects. However, we found only very little evidence for behavioural exclusion of foreign individuals. Interpopulation donors left nests at a higher rate than control donors, but neither their behaviours nor the behaviours of receiver individuals within the nest showed any response to the foreign individual in either of the treatments. These results suggest that cuticular hydrocarbon profiles might be used for communication and nestmate recognition, but that behavioural exclusion of non-nestmates is either absent in X. saxesenii or agonistic encounters are so rare or subtle that they could not be detected by our method. Additional studies are needed to investigate this further.