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Academic literacy as an embodiment of higher-order language and thinking skills within the academic community bears huge significance for language socialization, resource distribution and even power disposition within the larger sociocultural context. However, although the notion of academic literacy has been initiated for more than twenty years, there still lacks a clear definition and operationalization of the construct. The study conducted a systematic review of academic literacy research based on 94 systematically selected research papers on academic literacy from 2002 to 2019 from multiple databases. These papers were then coded respectively in terms of their research methods, types (interventionistic or descriptive), settings and research focus. Findings demonstrate (1) the multidimensionality of academic literacy construct; (2) a growing number of mixed methods interventionistic studies in recent years; and (3) a gradual expansion of academic literacy research in ESL and EFL settings. These findings can inform the design and implementation of future academic literacy research and practices.

Deep learning-based synthetic aperture radar (SAR) automatic target recognition (ATR) methods exhibit a tendency to overfit specific operating conditions—such as radar parameters and background clutter—which frequently leads to high sensitivity against variations in these conditions. A novel electromagnetic reconstruction feature alignment (ERFA) method is proposed in this paper, which integrates electromagnetic reconstruction with feature alignment into a fully convolutional network, forming the ERFA-FVGGNet. The ERFA-FVGGNet comprises three modules: electromagnetic reconstruction using our proposed orthogonal matching pursuit with image-domain cropping-optimization (OMP-IC) algorithm for efficient, high-precision attributed scattering center (ASC) reconstruction and extraction; the designed FVGGNet combining transfer learning with a lightweight fully convolutional network to enhance feature extraction and generalization; and feature alignment employing a dual-loss to suppress background clutter while improving robustness and interpretability. Experimental results demonstrate that ERFA-FVGGNet boosts trustworthiness by enhancing robustness, generalization and interpretability.

As the first identified multidrug efflux pump in Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb ), EfpA is an essential protein and promising drug target. However, the functional and inhibitory mechanisms of EfpA are poorly understood. Here we report cryo-EM structures of EfpA in outward-open conformation, either bound to three endogenous lipids or the inhibitor BRD-8000.3. Three lipids inside EfpA span from the inner leaflet to the outer leaflet of the membrane. BRD-8000.3 occupies one lipid site at the level of inner membrane leaflet, competitively inhibiting lipid binding. EfpA resembles the related lysophospholipid transporter MFSD2A in both overall structure and lipid binding sites and may function as a lipid flippase. Combining AlphaFold-predicted EfpA structure, which is inward-open, we propose a complete conformational transition cycle for EfpA. Together, our results provide a structural and mechanistic foundation to comprehend EfpA function and develop EfpA-targeting anti-TB drugs. Multidrug efflux pump EfpA is an essential protein for M. tuberculosis . The authors determine the structures of Mt EfpA bound to lipids or the inhibitor BRD-8000.3, and propose it may function as a lipid flippase with a defined inhibition mechanism.

Coordinated polarization of epithelial cells is a key step during morphogenesis that leads to the formation of an apical lumen. Rab11 and its interacting protein FIP5 are necessary for the targeting of apical endosomes to the midbody and apical membrane initiation site (AMIS) during lumenogenesis. However, the machinery that mediates AMIS establishment and FIP5-endosome targeting remains unknown. Here we identify a FIP5-interacting protein, Cingulin, which localizes to the AMIS and functions as a tether mediating FIP5-endosome targeting. We analysed the machinery mediating AMIS recruitment to the midbody and determined that both branched actin and microtubules are required for establishing the site of the nascent lumen. We demonstrate that the Rac1-WAVE/Scar complex mediates Cingulin recruitment to the AMIS by inducing branched actin formation, and that Cingulin directly binds to microtubule C-terminal tails through electrostatic interactions. We propose a new mechanism for apical endosome targeting and AMIS formation around the midbody during epithelial lumenogenesis. Polarisation of epithelial cells causes lumen formation, which is mediated by apical membrane initiation site (AMIS) and FIP5, but how this is regulated is unclear. Here, the authors identify cingulin as a FIP-5 interacting protein, recruiting the Rac1-WAVE/Scar complex to the AMIS and branched actin formation.

Aging is a pressing concern worldwide, particularly in rural communities characterized by a high aging index and an exodus of young individuals. Physical and mental well-being play key roles in older adults’ overall health. COVID-19 has resulted in limitations on the outdoor activities of older adults, negatively affecting their social interactions and health. In this study, we designed an intervention to investigate the effects of indoor leisure activities on successful aging. Three types of activities were selected: horticultural, handicraft, and baking activities, each lasting 4 weeks. 82 older adults were randomly assigned to perform the activities and completed self-reported measures regarding their activities of daily living, depression, and mental and social health. Our results indicated horticultural activities to reduce depression and significantly improve physical, mental, and social health; handicraft activities likewise significantly improved physical, mental, and social health. Thus, indoor leisure activities can enhance the physical and mental health of older adults.

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has stimulated intensive research interest in its transmission pathways and infection factors, e.g., socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, climatology, baseline health conditions or pre-existing diseases, and government policies. Meanwhile, some empirical studies suggested that built environment attributes may be associated with the transmission mechanism and infection risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, no review has been conducted to explore the effect of built environment characteristics on the infection risk. This research gap prevents government officials and urban planners from creating effective urban design guidelines to contain SARS-CoV-2 infections and face future pandemic challenges. This review summarizes evidence from 25 empirical studies and provides an overview of the effect of built environment on SARS-CoV-2 infection risk. Virus infection risk was positively associated with the density of commercial facilities, roads, and schools and with public transit accessibility, whereas it was negatively associated with the availability of green spaces. This review recommends several directions for future studies, namely using longitudinal research design and individual-level data, considering multilevel factors and extending to diversified geographic areas.

In this research, the influences of Na doping content on the microstructure of CIGS absorption layer and the electrical performance of CIGS solar cell are investigated. It is found that Na is benefit to reducing the thickness of MoSe 2 layer which is between the CIGS absorption layer and Mo back contact layer, and decreasing the series resistance and improving the fill-factor of the cell. Besides, Na will influence the distribution of Ga. With the increase of the Na doping, Ga elements tend to accumulate at the back region of the CIGS absorption layer, and form a strong back surface field which reduces the carriers recombination. Those effects contribute to the improvement of the CIGS cells efficiency. Graphical abstract

Background Advancement in location-aware technologies, and information and communication technology in the past decades has furthered our knowledge of the interaction between human activities and the built environment. An increasing number of studies have collected data regarding individual activities to better understand how the environment shapes human behavior. Despite this growing interest, some challenges exist in collecting and processing individual’s activity data, e.g., capturing people’s precise environmental contexts and analyzing data at multiple spatial scales. Methods In this study, we propose and implement an innovative system that integrates smartphone-based step tracking with an app and the sequential tile scan techniques to collect and process activity data. We apply the OpenStreetMap tile system to aggregate positioning points at various scales. We also propose duration, step and probability surfaces to quantify the multi-dimensional attributes of activities. Results Results show that, by running the app in the background, smartphones can measure multi-dimensional attributes of human activities, including space, duration, step, and location uncertainty at various spatial scales. By coordinating Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor with accelerometer sensor, this app can save battery which otherwise would be drained by GPS sensor quickly. Based on a test dataset, we were able to detect the recreational center and sports center as the space where the user was most active, among other places visited. Conclusion The methods provide techniques to address key issues in analyzing human activity data. The system can support future studies on behavioral and health consequences related to individual’s environmental exposure.

Infectious tissue injuries, exacerbated by bacterial infections and antibiotic resistance, pose significant challenges for treatment and may lead to life‐threatening systemic infections. In this study, a bio‐responsive hydrogel system is developed, leveraging silver ions (Ag⁺) encapsulated in Preyssler‐type polyoxometalates (POMs). The Ag⁺ ions are selectively released in response to endogenous sodium ions (Na⁺) within the biological environment, enabling broad‐spectrum antibacterial activity. The POM serves as a protective matrix for Ag⁺, preserving its bioactivity while mitigating cytotoxicity and the reduction in antimicrobial efficacy associated with prolonged exposure. Additionally, a dual‐channel technique is employed to fabricate fiber membranes with controllable and continuously stacked chemical compositions, ensuring efficient and uniform POM incorporation via hydrogen bonding within the fiber matrix. Subsequently, in situ hierarchical cross‐linking process generated a spatially heterogeneous hydrogel with an interpenetrating network structure at multiple scales. This differentiated microstructure facilitates the controlled loading and release of diverse therapeutic components. Meanwhile, bioactive exosomes are integrated into the hydrogel, further enhancing its regenerative potential for treating infectious tissue injuries. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that the advanced hydrogel system provide a viable and efficient platform for addressing the challenges associated with infectious tissue injuries, offering a promising strategy for clinical applications. The hydrogel incorporates Ag⁺‐loaded Preyssler‐type polyoxometalates (POMs) that release Ag⁺ ions in response to endogenous Na⁺ ions, ensuring controlled antibacterial activity. The spatially heterogeneous structure, created through dual‐channel fiber stacking and in situ cross‐linking, enhances structural integrity and promotes tissue regeneration.

Introduction: iRGD is usually used as a motif to modify siRNA-nanodelivery vectors to improve tumor-targeting and penetration. However, most of the modifications are realized by covalent conjugation, which normally requires complex preparation processes possibly with low conjugation efficiency and yield, and might lower its bioactivity. To avoid this, here, we presented an alternative physical method to decorate iRGD on nanopolymersomes via facile self-assembly in water. Methods: siVEGF was chosen as a siRNA model, and lipopolysaccharide-amine nanopolymersomes (NPs), an efficient cytosolic delivery vector developed by our group, was used as an original vector. By successively incubating siVEGF with NPs, followed by adding iRGD, a siVEGF-loaded NPs functionalized with iRGD (siRNA/iRGD-NPs) was obtained. The properties of iRGD- NPs or siRNA/iRGD-NPs were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Results: iRGD is efficiently introduced onto NPs with different amounts, which can be precisely controlled by the feeding ratio. The introduced iRGD keeps tumor-targeting and -penetrating bioactivity, which endows iRGD-NPs with ~100% of tumor-cell uptake and excellent tumor spheroid-penetration, and thus iRGD-NPs can efficiently deliver siVEGF to significantly inhibit angiogenesis in zebrafish and tumor growth in nude mice bearing breast cancer without obvious toxicity. Conclusion: This study provides a facile physical method to decorate nanodelivery vectors with iRGD for effective targeted siRNA anti-tumor therapy. Keywords: iRGD-decorated nano-delivery system, self-assembly, tumor targeting & penetrating, nanopolymersomes, small interfering RNA, anti-tumor therapy