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\"This book focuses on understanding the characteristics of the marine environment; overall characteristic of the marine resources (especially the marine new energy) and their current utilization; important routes, channels, and ports; and the Maritime Silk Road from the perspective of international law. It also discusses the significance and opportunities of the Maritime Silk Road initiative, analyzes the challenges involved in the construction of the Maritime Silk Road and provides corresponding countermeasures. Based on the above research, this book also proposes to construct a comprehensive application platform for the Maritime Silk Road that will be a practical tool for decision-making. This book is one of the series publications on the 21st century Maritime Silk Road (shortened as \"Maritime Silk Road\"). This series publications cover the characteristics of the marine environment and marine new energy, remote islands and reefs construction, climate change, early warning of wave disasters, legal escort, marine environment and energy big data construction, etc. contributing to the safe and efficient construction of the Maritime Silk Road. It aims to improve our knowledge of the ocean, thus to improve the capacity for marine construction, enhance the viability of remote islands and reefs, ease the energy crisis and protect the ecological environment, improve the quality of life of residents along the Maritime Silk Road, and protect the rights, interests of the countries and regions participating in the construction of the Maritime Silk Road. It will be a valuable reference for decision-makers, researchers, and marine engineers working in the related fields.\"-- Provided by publisher.

Itch is one of the most primal sensations, being both ubiquitous and important for the well-being of animals. For more than a century, a desire to understand how itch is encoded by the nervous system has prompted the advancement of many theories. Within the past 15 years, our understanding of the molecular and neural mechanisms of itch has undergone a major transformation, and this remarkable progress continues today without any sign of abating. Here I describe accumulating evidence that indicates that itch is distinguished from pain through the actions of itch-specific neuropeptides that relay itch information to the spinal cord. According to this model, classical neurotransmitters transmit, inhibit and modulate itch information in a context-, space- and time-dependent manner but do not encode itch specificity. Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) is proposed to be a key itch-specific neuropeptide, with spinal neurons expressing GRP receptor (GRPR) functioning as a key part of a convergent circuit for the conveyance of peripheral itch information to the brain.The encoding of itch by peripheral and central neural circuits is a topic of long-standing interest in the somatosensory field. Here, Zhou-Feng Chen outlines a model for itch coding that emphasizes the role of neuropeptides in conveying itch information from the periphery to the spinal cord.

Having a hypoxic microenvironment is a common and salient feature of most solid tumors. Hypoxia has a profound effect on the biological behavior and malignant phenotype of cancer cells, mediates the effects of cancer chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy through complex mechanisms, and is closely associated with poor prognosis in various cancer patients. Accumulating studies have demonstrated that through normalization of the tumor vasculature, nanoparticle carriers and biocarriers can effectively increase the oxygen concentration in the tumor microenvironment, improve drug delivery and the efficacy of radiotherapy. They also increase infiltration of innate and adaptive anti-tumor immune cells to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy. Furthermore, drugs targeting key genes associated with hypoxia, including hypoxia tracers, hypoxia-activated prodrugs, and drugs targeting hypoxia-inducible factors and downstream targets, can be used for visualization and quantitative analysis of tumor hypoxia and antitumor activity. However, the relationship between hypoxia and cancer is an area of research that requires further exploration. Here, we investigated the potential factors in the development of hypoxia in cancer, changes in signaling pathways that occur in cancer cells to adapt to hypoxic environments, the mechanisms of hypoxia-induced cancer immune tolerance, chemotherapeutic tolerance, and enhanced radiation tolerance, as well as the insights and applications of hypoxia in cancer therapy.

Salt precipitation is a crucial process occurring during CO2 injection into saline aquifers. It significantly alters the porous space, leading to reduced permeability and impaired injectivity. While the dynamics of precipitation have been studied within porous media, our understanding of precipitation patterns and permeability evolution within rough fractures remains inadequate. Here, we conduct flow‐visualization experiments on salt precipitation, wherein dry air invades brine‐filled rough fractures under various flow rate conditions. Our observations reveal that the precipitation pattern shifts from ex situ precipitation to homogeneous form as the flow rate (capillary number Ca) increases. Through real‐time imaging of the salt precipitation process, we determine that ex situ precipitation is due to capillary‐driven backflow. This backflow phenomenon occurs when previously precipitated salt, acting as a hydrophilic porous medium, attracts the brine flow backward. As a result, precipitation occurs at a location different from the original site. We further show that the impact of capillary‐driven backflow is significant at low flow rates and is gradually suppressed as the flow rate increases. We provide a theoretical estimation for the critical Ca for the occurrence of capillary‐driven backflow. As Ca is smaller than this critical value, backflow‐precipitation positive feedback causes fracture voids to become completely clogged, thereby leading to a more substantial permeability reduction. In contrast, a homogeneous precipitation pattern tends to only partially clog the fracture voids, causing a relatively smaller permeability reduction. This study enhances our understanding of the role of capillary‐driven backflow in controlling salt precipitation and permeability reduction in fractures. Plain Language Summary Injecting CO2 into underground water layers (saline aquifers) is one way to tackle climate change by storing it away from the air. However, this process can lead to salt formation within the rock fractures, especially near the injection well, which can block the flow pathways and make it more challenging to inject additional CO2. Our research focuses on how salt forms within the rock fractures when we introduce dry air into areas filled with salty water, at different flow rates. We discover that at slower flow rate, the salt forms in patches due to a process where the salt already formed pulls more water toward it, leading to blockages. At higher flow rates, this doesn’t happen, and the salt is distributed more uniformly, causing less blockage. We identify a specific flow rate at which the transition between these two types of salt formation occurs. Understanding this can help us better manage CO2 injection strategies and make it more effective by minimizing the risk of blockages. This work is important for enhancing how we store CO2 underground, an important strategy in reducing its levels in the atmosphere and fighting global warming. Key Points We show that precipitation pattern shifts from ex situ to homogeneous form and ex situ precipitation is due to capillary‐driven backflow We verify that capillary‐driven backflow occurs when previously precipitated salt, as a hydrophilic porous medium, draws brine flow back We quantify that capillary‐driven backflow causes voids to be completely clogged, leading to a more substantial permeability reductions

Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) are among the most promising large-scale energy storage systems, owing to high efficiency, scalability, and long cycle life. However, their widespread adoption is often hindered by sluggish electrode reaction kinetics, particularly at the anode. This investigation aimed to address these limitations by introducing bismuth-doped carbon (Bi/C) nanoparticles synthesized from asphalt and bismuth onto thermally treated carbon felt (TCF) to prepare Bi and C co-deposited thermally treated carbon felt (Bi/C-TCF), leveraging the synergistic effects between the two components. The synthesis process involved spray drying followed by high-temperature calcination, resulting in a highly efficient electrocatalyst for the V 3+ /V 2+ redox couple. Electrochemical testing revealed that the Bi/C-TCF electrode significantly outperformed the conventional TCF electrode, exhibiting reduced polarization during charge-discharge cycles and enhanced catalytic activity as evidenced by its superior reaction rate constants K 0 (2.37 × 10 −2 and 2.75 × 10 −2 cm/s) compared to TCF (2.08 × 10 −2 and 2.10 × 10 −2 cm/s). In single-cell tests, the Bi/C-TCF electrode, used as the negative electrode, demonstrated superior voltage efficiency (VE) and energy efficiency (EE) across various current densities. It achieved a power density of up to 1054.3 mW/cm 2 , significantly outperforming TCF’s 825.9 mW/cm 2 . After 1000 cycles, the VE and EE remained stable at 86.2% and 85.0%, respectively, whereas the TCF cell saw a rapid decline in VE and EE to below 70% after just 515 cycles. These findings highlight the potential of Bi/C nanoparticles as a scalable and cost-effective solution for enhancing the performance and durability of VRFBs, leveraging low-cost raw materials such as asphalt.

Background To systematically review the epidemiologic relationship between periodontitis and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods Four electronic databases were searched up until December 2018. The manual search included the reference lists of the included studies and relevant journals. Observational studies evaluating the relationship between T2DM and periodontitis were included . Meta-analyses were conducted using STATA. Results A total of 53 observational studies were included. The Adjusted T2DM prevalence was significantly higher in periodontitis patients (OR = 4.04, p  = 0.000), and vice versa (OR = 1.58, p = 0.000). T2DM patients had significantly worse periodontal status, as reflected in a 0.61 mm deeper periodontal pocket, a 0.89 mm higher attachment loss and approximately 2 more lost teeth (all p  = 0.000), than those without T2DM. The results of the cohort studies found that T2DM could elevate the risk of developing periodontitis by 34% ( p  = 0.002). The glycemic control of T2DM patients might result in different periodontitis outcomes. Severe periodontitis increased the incidence of T2DM by 53% ( p  = 0.000), and this result was stable. In contrast, the impact of mild periodontitis on T2DM incidence (RR = 1.28, p  = 0.007) was less robust. Conclusions There is an evident bidirectional relationship between T2DM and periodontitis. Further well-designed cohort studies are needed to confirm this finding. Our results suggest that both dentists and physicians need to be aware of the strong connection between periodontitis and T2DM. Controlling these two diseases might help prevent each other’s incidence.

Fluid‐rock dissolution occurs ubiquitously in geological systems. Surface‐volume scaling is central to predicting overall dissolution rate R involved in modeling dissolution processes. Previous works focused on single‐phase environments but overlooked the multiphase‐flow effect. Here, through limestone‐based microfluidics experiments, we establish a fundamental link between dissolution regimes and scaling laws. In regime I (uniform), the scaling is consistent with classic law, and a satisfactory prediction of R can be obtained. However, the scaling for regime II (localized) deviates significantly from classic law. The underlying mechanism is that the reaction‐induced gas phase forms a layer, acting as a barrier that hinders contact between the acid and rock. Consequently, the error between measurement and prediction continuously amplifies as dissolution proceeds; the predictability is poor. We propose a theoretical model that describes the regime transition, exhibiting excellent agreement with experimental results. This work offers guidance on the usage of scaling law in multiphase flow environments. Plain Language Summary Fluid‐rock dissolution is ubiquitous in natural and engineered systems, including karst formation, geological carbon sequestration, and acid stimulation. Recent developed method for CO2 sequestration relies on mineralization, which transforms CO2 into carbonate minerals through geochemical reactions involving dissolution. The precise modeling of dissolution processes at the continuum‐scale is dependent on the estimation of the overall dissolution rate using surface‐volume scaling laws. This important scaling law is always established in a single‐phase system. Here, through limestone‐based microfluidics experiments, we find that the scaling is significantly affected by the dissolution regime in a multiphase flow environment. When the injection rate is lower, and the geometry is more homogeneous, the dissolution regime adheres to classic law. On the other hand, when the flow is stronger and the heterogeneity exhibits, the dissolution scaling significantly diverges. Our discovery indicates that a layer of CO2 gas attaches to the uneven surface, causing a shielding effect on the dissolution and resulting in a notable deviation. Through establishing a theoretical model for the regime transition, this work offers guidance on the usage of scaling law across various dissolution scenarios. The newly developed scaling can enhance dissolution modeling precision in multiphase flow‐dissolution systems such as geologic carbon sequestration. Key Points We observe two regimes, and the scaling in regime II deviates significantly from classic law, with a poor predictability of dissolution rate We identify a barrier effect in real rock samples that inhibits the contact of acid and rock for the deviation of scaling in regime II We propose a theoretical model for regime transition that offers guidance on the usage of scaling law in multiphase environments

In the process of aircraft design, it is necessary to study the flight ground transit scenario. In this paper, to research a typical flight ground transit scenario, a domestic airport is selected, and the typical values of taxi distance, service transit time, and arrival flight time are assessed, analyzed, and given after the influence of passenger flow, runway, terrain, and temperature. This typical transit scenario can be used for the relevant calculations of flight transit capacity in the top-level design of the aircraft.

Topological insulators are materials that behave as insulators in the bulk and as conductors at the edge or surface due to the particular configuration of their bulk band dispersion. However, up to date possible practical applications of this band topology on materials’ bulk properties have remained abstract. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a topological bulk laser. We pattern semiconductor nanodisk arrays to form a photonic crystal cavity showing topological band inversion between its interior and cladding area. In-plane light waves are reflected at topological edges forming an effective cavity feedback for lasing. This band-inversion-induced reflection mechanism induces single-mode lasing with directional vertical emission. Our topological bulk laser works at room temperature and reaches the practical requirements in terms of cavity size, threshold, linewidth, side-mode suppression ratio and directionality for most practical applications according to Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and other industry standards. We believe this bulk topological effect will have applications in near-field spectroscopy, solid-state lighting, free-space optical sensing and communication.The interface between photonic crystals with distinct in-band topologies confines electromagnetic modes and gives rise to lasing emission in the bulk.

There has been an upsurge of green reductants for the preparation of graphene materials taking consideration of human health and the environment in recent years. In this paper, reduced graphene oxides (RGOs) were prepared by chemical reduction of graphene oxide (GO) with three green reductants, L-ascorbic acid (L-AA), D-glucose (D-GLC) and tea polyphenol (TP), and comparatively characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, Raman spectra and electrical conductivity analysis. Results showed that all these three reductants were effective to remove oxygen-containing functional groups in GO and restore the electrical conductivity of the obtained RGO. The RGO sample with L-ascorbic acid as a reductant and reduced with the existence of ammonia had the highest electrical conductivity (9.8 S·cm(-1)) among all the obtained RGO samples. The mechanisms regarding to the reduction of GO and the dispersion of RGO in water were also proposed. It is the good dispersibility of reduced graphene oxide in water that will facilitate its further use in composite materials and conductive ink.