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To solve the problems of local optimum, slow convergence speed and low search efficiency in ant colony algorithm, an improved ant colony optimization algorithm is proposed. The unequal allocation initial pheromone is constructed to avoid the blindness search at early planning. A pseudo-random state transition rule is used to select path, the state transition probability is calculated according to the current optimal solution and the number of iterations, and the proportion of determined or random selections is adjusted adaptively. The optimal solution and the worst solution are introduced to improve the global pheromone updating method. Dynamic punishment method is introduced to solve the problem of deadlock. Compared with other ant colony algorithms in different robot mobile simulation environments, the results showed that the global optimal search ability and the convergence speed have been improved greatly and the number of lost ants is less than one-third of others. It is verified the effectiveness and superiority of the improved ant colony algorithm.

The mass gaps existing in the discovered single heavy flavor baryons are analyzed, which show some universal behaviors. Under the framework of a constituent quark model, we quantitatively explain why such interesting phenomenon happens, when these established excited heavy baryons are regarded as the λ-mode excitations. Based on the universal behaviors of the discussed mass gaps, we may have three implications including the prediction of the masses of excited Ξb0 baryons which are still missing in the experiment. For completeness, we also discuss the mass gaps of these ρ-mode excited single heavy flavor baryons.

For the long standing low mass puzzle of Λ c ( 2940 ) + , we propose an unquenched picture. Our calculation explicitly shows that the mass of the Λ c ( 2 P , 3 / 2 - ) state can be lowered down to be consistent with the experimental data of Λ c ( 2940 ) + by introducing the D ∗ N channel contribution. It means that the low mass puzzle of Λ c ( 2940 ) + can be solved. What is more important is that we predict a mass inversion relation for the 2 P Λ c + states, i.e., the Λ c ( 2 P , 1 / 2 - ) state is higher than the Λ c ( 2 P , 3 / 2 - ) , which is totally different from the result of conventional quenched quark model. It provides a criterion to test such an unquenched scenario for Λ c ( 2940 ) + . We expect the future experimental progress from the LHCb and Belle II.

The evolution of increased competitive ability (EICA) hypothesis and the novel weapons hypothesis (NWH) are two non-mutually exclusive mechanisms for exotic plant invasions, but few studies have simultaneously tested these hypotheses. Here we aimed to integrate them in the context of Chromolaena odorata invasion. We conducted two common garden experiments in order to test the EICA hypothesis, and two laboratory experiments in order to test the NWH. In common conditions, C. odorata plants from the nonnative range were better competitors but not larger than plants from the native range, either with or without the experimental manipulation of consumers. Chromolaena odorata plants from the nonnative range were more poorly defended against aboveground herbivores but better defended against soilborne enemies. Chromolaena odorata plants from the nonnative range produced more odoratin (Eupatorium) (a unique compound of C. odorata with both allelopathic and defensive activities) and elicited stronger allelopathic effects on species native to China, the nonnative range of the invader, than on natives of Mexico, the native range of the invader. Our results suggest that invasive plants may evolve increased competitive ability after being introduced by increasing the production of novel allelochemicals, potentially in response to naïve competitors and new enemy regimes.

With the aging of the population, sarcopenia has become more common. Studies have shown a broad association between liver disease and sarcopenia. However, this link remains unclear. Our study explored the link between NAFLD and sarcopenia and predicting the pathogenesis. To begin, we investigated the causal relationship and genetic correlation between them using MR and LDSC. Second, each GWAS was annotated by MAGMA. The annotated genes were analyzed for pleiotropy using the PLACO approach. Finally, functional analysis was conducted on the identified pleiotropic genes. We observed a significant genetic correlation between NAFLD and sarcopenia. Subsequently, we conducted gene-level pleiotropy analysis using PLACO and identified a total of 153 genes with pleiotropic effects. Functional analysis revealed enrichment of these genes in various tissues, including pancreas, liver, heart, blood, brain, and muscle, with involvement in cellular regulation, intracellular function, and antigen response. Moreover, our MR analysis provided evidence of a causal relationship between NAFLD and sarcopenia. Our study has discovered the genetic and causal relationships between NAFLD and sarcopenia, providing further insights into their pathophysiological mechanisms. The identification of pleiotropic genes also offers potential targets for future drug therapies aimed at controlling or treating NAFLD and sarcopenia.

Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is a powerful industrial oxidant and potential carbon-neutral liquid energy carrier. Sunlight-driven synthesis of H 2 O 2 from the most earth-abundant O 2 and seawater is highly desirable. However, the solar-to-chemical efficiency of H 2 O 2 synthesis in particulate photocatalysis systems is low. Here, we present a cooperative sunlight-driven photothermal-photocatalytic system based on cobalt single-atom supported on sulfur doped graphitic carbon nitride/reduced graphene oxide heterostructure (Co–CN@G) to boost H 2 O 2 photosynthesis from natural seawater. By virtue of the photothermal effect and synergy between Co single atoms and the heterostructure, Co–CN@G enables a solar-to-chemical efficiency of more than 0.7% under simulated sunlight irradiation. Theoretical calculations verify that the single atoms combined with heterostructure significantly promote the charge separation, facilitate O 2 absorption and reduce the energy barriers for O 2 reduction and water oxidation, eventually boosting H 2 O 2 photoproduction. The single-atom photothermal-photocatalytic materials may provide possibility of large-scale H 2 O 2 production from inexhaustible seawater in a sustainable way. Photoproduction of solar fuels and important chemicals is of significant interest. Here, the authors construct a cobalt single atom-based photothermal-photocatalytic heterostructure that realizes efficient hydrogen peroxide photosynthesis from earth-abundant seawater.

Obtaining intact cylindrical cores from soft, weathered rock is frequently challenging, making the point load test a preferred technique for quickly determining rock strength. This study critically evaluates two widely used point load strength calculations—the loading-span and equivalent-diameter methods—and presents an alternative “equivalent area method” founded on the ratio between the actual failure cross section and the minimum cross section. Irregular phyllite specimens spanning three levels of weathering (heavily, moderately, and slightly) are tested to analyze how shape factor ( β ) and loading span ( D ) affect the point load strength index ( I s ). Results show that the area factor has a skewed distribution, with median values increasing from 1.40 to 1.46 as weathering intensifies—substantially exceeding the 0.3 to 1.0 range in the loading-span method and surpassing the 4/π factor used in the equivalent-diameter approach. A recommended median area factor of 1.43 is therefore proposed. The measured I s decreases following a power-law trend as β and D increase, with weathering reducing the sensitivity of I s to β but not significantly altering its sensitivity to D . For heavily, moderately, and slightly weathered samples, the allowable β should be at least 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6, respectively, and the loading span should lie between 35 and 80 mm. Unlike the traditional loading-span and equivalent-diameter methods, the proposed equivalent area method incorporates a variable area factor ψ that accounts for the actual failure cross section in irregular specimens. This approach reduces scatter in test results and is particularly valuable for soft or weathered rock, where conventional cylindrical core preparation is infeasible. Through extensive testing on phyllite, we demonstrate that this method provides more stable estimates of point load strength and offers practical guidelines for specimen selection, making it highly relevant for geotechnical applications in weak-rock environments.

Stimulated by the observation of the X (6900) from LHCb in 2020 and the recent results from CMS and ATLAS in the di- J / ψ invariant mass spectrum, in this work we systematically study all possible configurations for the ground states of fully heavy tetraquark in the constituent quark model. By our calculation, we present their spectroscopic behaviors including binding energy, lowest meson–meson thresholds, specific wave function, magnetic moment, transition magnetic moment, radiative decay width, rearrangement strong width ratio, internal mass contributions, relative lengths between (anti)quarks, and the spatial distribution of four valence (anti)quarks. We cannot find a stable S-wave state for the fully heavy tetraquark system. We hope that our results will be valuable to further experimental exploration of fully heavy tetraquark states.

Dynamic reconfiguration of the human brain is characterized by the nature of complexity. The purpose of this study was to measure such complexity and also analyze its association with age. We modeled the dynamic reconfiguration process by dynamic functional connectivity, which was established by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, and we measured complexity within the dynamic functional connectivity by sample entropy (SampEn). A brainwide map of SampEn in healthy subjects shows larger values in the caudate, the olfactory gyrus, the amygdala, and the hippocampus, and lower values in primary sensorimotor and visual areas. Association analysis in healthy subjects indicated that SampEn of the amygdala-cortical connectivity decreases with advancing age. Such age-related loss of SampEn, however, disappears in patients with schizophrenia. These findings suggest that SampEn of the dynamic functional connectivity is a promising indicator of normal aging.