Browse Articles

Incentives and constraints: An optimization mechanism for improving the performance of farmland protection entities

Farmland is the most crucial resource for food production, and implementing farmland protection is a long-term strategy to achieve the sustainable use of this vital resource. Farmland protection is not only a priority for policymakers but also requires the cooperation of management departments and policy implementation bodies. Within China’s “county-township-village” farmland protection organizational structure, the current pressing issue is how to align the performance of grassroots governments using an incentive-constraint system and guide village-level cooperation to effectively implement farmland protection. This paper establishes a tripartite evolutionary game model focused on the incentive-constraint system for farmland protection, analyzing the demands and preferences of stakeholders and examining the strategic choices under the influence of multiple factors, such as farmland protection benefits, collusion behavior, accountability, financial support, and incentive-constraint standards. The optimal strategy combination for the tripartite game is discussed. The study found the following: (1) Village collectives tend to adopt active farmland protection strategies regardless of whether township governments provide financial support. (2) The increase in administrative rewards and punishments weakens the concealment behavior of township governments, becoming more effective as the success rate of assessments increases. (3) In areas with a high success rate of assessments, administrative incentives effectively improve stakeholder behavior; in areas with a low success rate, a higher level of incentive and constraint combinations can improve multi-party cooperation. (4) Administrative incentives for township governments must not fall below the administrative costs of strict supervision. Therefore, this paper proposes an optimization strategy for coordinating stakeholders in farmland protection in China. It suggests that county governments should strictly implement supervision and assessment, prioritize the use of incentive mechanisms to enhance the transparency of township government supervision, and encourage village collectives to develop a self-consciousness and behavior conducive to farmland protection.

Origin of high ionic conductivity in halide solid electrolyte Li3InCl6: Insights from native defects

Halide solid electrolyte Li3InCl6 (LIC) is a promising candidate for all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries due to its high conductivity and moisture stability. Despite its potential, the reproducible synthesis of high-conductivity LIC remains challenging due to the unknown effect of native defects on ionic conductivity. We investigate native defects and explore the impact of defects on the ion conductivity of LIC using density functional theory and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. It is found that, on the one hand, the high conductivity in experimental LIC benefits from the dominant defects of Li vacancies (VLi) and interstitials (Lii), on the other hand, the conductivity induced by the two major defects is nearly an order magnitude higher than the experimental values, indicating the cooperative effect of minor defects. Following this, a mixed-defect system with the coexistence of VLi, Lii as well as minor defects Cl vacancies (VCl) and antisites (InLi) is proposed, which presents an activation energy of 0.31 eV and ionic conductivity of 1.8 mS/cm (300 K), well explaining the experimental results. These findings provide important insight into understanding the effect of native defects on ionic transport in LIC and offer synthesis principles for the reproducibility of LIC-type solid electrolytes with high conductivity.

Microbiome analysis for artificially establishing the symbiotic relationship between Hebeloma hiemale and Quercus mongolica

Surgical mechanical properties of perfused decellularized massive bone allografts: An comparative in vivo test

Massive bone allograft decellularized by perfusion is a solution for large bone defect reconstructions. Perfusion-based decellularization offers a solution by removing cellular components while preserving the non-immunogenic matrix. This study evaluates the in vivo integration and mechanical properties of perfusion-decellularized bone grafts compared to “fresh-frozen” grafts, both before implantation and after explantation. Standardized porcine femoral grafts were categorized into non-irradiated, irradiated, and explanted groups, with half undergoing perfusion decellularization. Biomechanical tests, including screw pull-out test, compression, and 3-point bending test, were performed. Results indicate that while decellularization increases graft brittleness, Vickers indentation and compression tests showed no significant differences between groups. In our study, decellularization reduced the mechanical strength of allografts both before and after implantation. However, since the risk of rupture occurred only under mechanical loads exceeding the physiological range, perfusion-decellularized bone grafts remain a valid strategy for bone repair.

Magnetic anisotropy in inverse-sandwiched iridium-boron clusters: Single-molecule magnets from first-principles

Magnetic anisotropy is a key physical parameter for the miniaturization of magnetic information storage, and developing nanomaterials with high magnetic anisotropy is of high significance to magnetic storage technology. Among them, single-molecule magnets (SMMs) are of interest for high-density magnetic storage. Here, using first-principles calculations, we designed a series of Ir2Bnq (n = 6–10, q = 0, ±1) clusters featuring inverse sandwich structures and identified Ir2B8 to be the global minimum. As a stable and aromatic SMM, the inverse-sandwiched Ir2B8 carries a magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE) of 93.43 meV. By taking the advantage of Ir2 symmetrically locked on two sides B8 ring and the lowest energy in the inverse sandwich structure of Ir2B8, the high MAE can be maintained at high temperature as 700 K. In contrast to the reported Ir2 loaded on one side of a two-dimensional molecule/material, the direction of Ir2 is prone to be tilted with physical perturbation and the MAE could not be well preserved. Furthermore, when Ir2B8 is encapsulated in two different carbon nanotubes, the high MAE could be well preserved (97.10 meV) or even enlarged (145.50 meV). This work establishes a unique framework for designing high-temperature stable SMMs with superior performance.

Eco-friendly synthesis of gold nanoparticles using Equisetum diffusum D. Don. with broad-spectrum antibacterial, anticancer, antidiabetic, and antioxidant potentials

Abstract The present study reports, the eco-friendly synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using Equisetum diffusum D. Don. extract, a medicinal plant known for its therapeutic properties. Phytochemicals present in the extract served as reducing and stabilizing agents for synthesizing stable AuNPs with an average size range of 68.8 nm. The biosynthesized AuNPs were characterized using UV–vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, and dynamic light scattering (DLS) methods, confirming their stability, morphology, and crystalline nature. The green synthesized ED@AuNPs exhibited promising biological activities, including broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, with inhibition zones from 24 to 37 mm. The anticancer activity was assessed through an MTT assay against hepatic carcinoma (HePG2) cells, revealing dose-dependent cytotoxicity with maximum inhibition at 200 µg/mL (47.62%). Antidiabetic activity was demonstrated by starch hydrolysis and enzyme kinetics, with significant α-amylase inhibitory activity up to 70.85%, comparable to the standard drug Acarbose. Moreover, antioxidant activity was conformed through FRAP and DPPH assays, indicating strong free radical scavenging activity and reducing ability. The study demonstrates the potential of biosynthesized ED@AuNPs as multifunctional agents with applications in biomedicine, particularly in antibacterial, anticancer, antidiabetic, and antioxidant therapies, offering an eco-friendly and sustainable approach for nanoparticle synthesis.

Does LLM translation align with translation universals? A cross-genre simplification study on English-Chinese translation based on dependency grammar

This study examines the presence of simplification, a translation universal (TU), in English-to-Chinese translation by comparing the Mean Dependency Distance (MDD) and Mean Hierarchical Distance (MHD) of Crowdsourcing human translations, Large Language Model (LLM) translations, and original Chinese texts across fifteen genres. Through analysis of three balanced comparable corpora, the research found that: (i) Compared to original Chinese texts, both human-translated and LLM-translated Chinese texts demonstrated significant syntactic simplification across all genres. (ii) Human translations exhibited a more pronounced tendency toward syntactic simplification than LLM translations across all genres. These findings not only validate the simplification hypothesis at the syntactic level but also highlight the different cognitive and processing mechanisms underlying human and LLM translation processes. The research indicates that human translators possess an active ability to optimize complex syntax that current LLMs lack, providing valuable reference for future development of LLMs and methods for LLM-assisted translation. Additionally, by adopting MDD and MHD as holistic measures of syntactic complexity, this study offers new perspectives for TU research and provides empirical insights into the linguistic nature of crowdsourcing translations from an English-to-Chinese perspective.

Proximitized magnetotransport at SrVO3/ErCrO3 heterointerface

We report on the interfacial magnetotransport properties of a heterostructure composed of non-magnetic metal SrVO3 and magnetic insulator ErCrO3. There can be seen a magnetic proximity effect between these layers represented by the emergence of anomalous Hall effect (AHE) and anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR). The AHE is not scaled with macroscopic magnetization of ErCrO3 at lower temperatures, suggesting contributions beyond the conventional AHE. The AMR measurements reveal the sensitive response of the magnetotransport properties to the spin textures of ErCrO3, exhibiting two- and fourfold symmetric terms upon azimuthal rotation of magnetic field. These results highlight the potential of utilizing magnetic spin textures of insulating orthorhombic perovskites to explore emergent magnetotransport in adjacent conducting layer at the heterointerface.

A multi-scale cross-dimension interaction approach with adaptive dilated TCN for RUL prediction

ADIBAS-Volterra aircraft trajectory prediction model based on improved dynamic integration of beetle tentacle searching

The prediction of aircraft manoeuvre trajectories is an important prerequisite for decision making. However, how to achieve real-time and scientific aircraft manoeuvre trajectory prediction using trajectory data needs to be addressed urgently. To solve this problem, we propose a hybrid algorithm based on Improved Beetle Antennae Search (BAS), Aircraft Manoeuvre Boundary Point Identification algorithm, Adaptive Dynamic Integration (ADI) and Volterra series, called ADIBAS-Volterra. Firstly, a large amount of trajectory sample data is trained to construct the BAS-Volterra algorithm suitable for predicting aircraft manoeuvre trajectories, which achieves a balance between global and local solutions. Secondly, in order to improve the accuracy of the online manoeuvre trajectory prediction of our proposed model in complex environments, the parameters of the whole prediction model based on the BAS-Volterra algorithm are adaptively updated according to the identification results of the aircraft manoeuvre boundary points, including the optimisation of the algorithmic weights and the optimisation of the parameters. Compared with the existing state-of-the-art methods, the newly proposed aircraft manoeuvre trajectory prediction algorithm adopts K-means clustering to initialise the tentacle position, which can flexibly adjust the search strategy at different stages and make the algorithm more reasonable. Four measures, Relative Root Mean Square Error (RRMSE), Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD), Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) and Normalised Mean Square Error (NMSE) were used to assess prediction accuracy. Finally, the scientific validity of the proposed algorithm is verified using Mackey Glass and Rossler datasets.

Atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenide nanolasers: Challenges and opportunities

Low energy consumption nanolasers are crucial for advancing on-chip integrated optical interconnects and photonic integrated circuits. Monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have emerged as an energy-efficient alternative to traditional semiconductor materials for nanolaser optical gain medium, promising ultralow lasing threshold powers. While several studies suggest that TMDs meet the criteria for lasing, whether true lasing has been achieved remains a topic of heavy debate within the scientific community. In this Perspective, we offer an overview of the field, outlining the key characteristics of laser light and methods for testing these properties in TMD-based devices. We then conduct a thorough review of recent reports claiming lasing, assessing the findings against established criteria for laser light emission. Finally, we discuss future research directions and applications, highlighting the key challenges that must be addressed to realize practical TMD-based nanolasers.

Implications of Yedoma bank outcrop on the Arctic river sediment transport

Utility of artificial intelligence-based conversation voice analysis for detecting cognitive decline

Recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) have introduced new technologies that can aid in detecting cognitive decline. This study developed a voice-based AI model that screens for cognitive decline using only a short conversational voice sample. The process involved collecting voice samples, applying machine learning (ML), and confirming accuracy through test data. The AI model extracts multiple voice features from the collected voice data to detect potential signs of cognitive impairment. Data labeling for ML was based on Mini-Mental State Examination scores: scores of 23 or lower were labeled as “cognitively declined (CD),” while scores above 24 were labeled as “cognitively normal (CN).” A fully coupled neural network architecture was employed for deep learning, using voice samples from 263 patients. Twenty voice samples, each comprising a one-minute conversation, were used for accuracy evaluation. The developed AI model achieved an accuracy of 0.950 in discriminating between CD and CN individuals, with a sensitivity of 0.875, specificity of 1.000, and an average area under the curve of 0.990. This voice AI model shows promise as a cognitive screening tool accessible via mobile devices, requiring no specialized environments or equipment, and can help detect CD, offering individuals the opportunity to seek medical attention.

CPT chip-scale atomic clock with direct-modulation chip-external cavity diode laser

Chip-scale atomic clocks are critical for applications requiring compact, energy-efficient, and highly stable timing, such as GPS receivers and communication systems. Coherent population trapping (CPT)-based atomic clocks, which commonly use vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), have enabled significant miniaturization. However, their precision is limited by the broad linewidth of VCSELs. Alternative laser technologies, such as distributed Bragg reflector lasers, distributed feedback lasers, and external cavity diode lasers (ECDLs), offer potential improvements but face challenges in achieving compact size and adequate modulation bandwidth. This study presents a 795 nm chip-ECDL with a direct modulation bandwidth up to 4 GHz, specifically designed for CPT chip-scale atomic clocks. Based on the chip-ECDL, a CPT atomic clock with a compact volume of 19.4 ml and power consumption of 1.5 W has been developed. Under identical operating conditions, the CPT signal produced by the chip-ECDL exhibits a 34% reduction in linewidth and a 1.14-fold increase in contrast compared to a VCSEL-based clock. Demonstrating short-term stability better than 5×10−11τ−1/2(1 s<τ<2000 s) and reaching a best stability of 6.6×10−13 at 2000 s, this work represents the application of an ECDL in a CPT chip-scale clock, advancing the development of next-generation, high-performance chip-scale atomic clocks.

The dual effects of iron deficiency on intervertebral disc development and on acute injury-induced disc degeneration

Accuracy of refractive error measurements in children with strabismus comparing cycloplegic autorefractometry to dry monocular Mohindra retinoscopy

Objective Uncorrected or undercorrected refractive errors affect 153 million individuals globally, leading to vision impairment and associated quality of life issues. Accurate measurement of refractive errors in children especially with strabismus is critical for effective management. This study evaluates the agreement between near retinoscopy (Mohindra retinoscopy) and cycloplegic autorefractometry in measuring refractive errors among children diagnosed with strabismus. Methods Forty-three strabismic children (18 males, 25 females; ages 3–10 years; mean age 5.5 yo) underwent refractive error evaluations using both methods: Mohindra retinoscopy and cycloplegic autorefractometry. The study assessed spherical component, spherical equivalent, cylinder power, and cylinder vectors J0 and J45. Statistical analyses, including Wilcoxon test Student’s t-test, Bland-Altman analysis, Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) analysis and correlations (supplementary analysis) evaluated differences, correlations and agreement between the two methods. Results The median spherical component of refractive error was almost equal for both methods used (+4.38 D vs. + 4.50, for Mohindra retinoscopy and cycloplegic autorefractometry, respectively; P = .54), as well as median spherical refractive equivalent (+4.25 for both methods; P = .29). Mean spherical components of refractive errors were nearly identical across both methods, showing Mohindra retinoscopy provided slightly higher hyperopic measurements (0.03 D more positive), whereas spherical equivalent of refractive error showed 0.07 D more positive results for Mohindra retinoscopy than cycloplegic autorefractometry. Median cylinder powers were the same for both methods (-0.50 D; P = .25). No differences were also found for J0 (P = .91) and J45 vectors (P = .88) between Mohindra retinoscopy and cycloplegic autorefractometry. Conclusions Near retinoscopy demonstrates comparable accuracy to cycloplegic autorefractometry in children with strabismus. These findings suggest that Mohindra retinoscopy may be used effectively without the need for cycloplegic intervention during follow-up visits, though further research is warranted to confirm its applicability.

Diameter scaling limit of catalytic silicon nanowires confined by optimized ultrafine sidewall grooves

The fabrication of quasi-one-dimensional silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with ultrathin diameters below 10 nm is crucial for enhancing field-effect control in state-of-the-art transistors and is beneficial for building high-performance optoelectronics and biosensors. In this study, we explore the limits of diameter control during the catalytic growth of SiNWs by using an in-plane solid–liquid–solid (IPSLS) mechanism, where SiNWs are guided and confined within narrow sidewall grooves. To achieve tighter growth confinement, a selective etching strategy was developed to produce stable and significantly finer guiding grooves, with heights, depths, and pitches of 15, 16, and 10 nm, respectively. Notably, this innovative groove design enables the production of parallel arrays of ultrathin, monocrystalline-like SiNWs, achieving critical cross-sectional dimensions smaller than 6 nm in one direction or less than 10 nm in both directions. Additionally, we propose a driving-energy-parity model that establishes a lower-bound diameter limit for IPSLS-grown SiNWs at approximately 2.5–4.2 nm. This finding indicates that further dimensional scaling remains feasible by employing even finer sidewall grooves. These results underscore the potential for scaling down ultrathin SiNWs, which is vital for exploring high-performance microelectronics based on a catalytic growth integration strategy.

Modified starch as a new co-excipient in hydrophilic gels for prolonged drug delivery

Readiness to the privatization of the health system in Saudi Arabia: Translation and factor analysis of Readiness to Organizational change (ROC) scale

Background The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) began a major transformation as a part of version 2030 for its health system. These reform initiatives aim to privatize health services and improve efficiency. Despite this meaningful change, there is a knowledge gap in how healthcare providers prepare for or perceive this shift. Specifically, there has been a lack of validation of Arabic instruments that gauge the individual readiness to this change. This study bridges the gap by localizing and validating the Readiness to Organizational Change scale (ROC) to provide empirical evidence and to understand adaptability for the KSA context. Method The study aimed to test and validate a tool that can be used to assess the ability of individuals to embrace the change initiatives among healthcare providers. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a public healthcare setting that included allied healthcare providers and physicians and excluded the administration staff. Ethical approval was obtained, and the questionnaire was distributed among participants electronically. Result There were 296 participants who completed the survey, with (78.0%) being male and they were between 25–35 years old, while the females represented (22%). The majority had less than 10 years’ experience and were married (88.2%). The face and content validity showed an excellent result for Arabic context S-CVI/AVE = 0.97. The inter-item correlation revealed a significant value (p < 0.001), which confirmed convergent validity, and Factor analysis assessed the adequacy of sampling (KMO = 0.77). The Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) extracted seven factors describing 74.6% of the total Variance, with an adequate value of commonalities for most items. Conclusion The Arabic version of ROC is a valid and reliable scale for assessing readiness among healthcare providers in the context of KSA. This translated version can provide insightful information and facilitate the transition of the health system in KSA and achieve the healthcare vision of 2030.

Bidirectional photocurrent in all-perovskite multilayer junctions for modulable light detection

Wavelength-induced photocurrent polarity switching could be a new building block for various optical applications, such as visible light communication and color discrimination imaging. Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites are versatile and easy to process, making them highly attractive for customized optoelectronic devices. Herein, a self-powered bidirectional photocurrent perovskite photodetector (BPPD) has been developed based on a vertical three-dimensional (3D)/quasi-two-dimensional (Q-2D)/3D perovskite multilayer junction. This BPPD shows positive photocurrent under short-wavelength light (300–524 nm) and negative photocurrent under long-wavelength light (524–800 nm), thereby delivering modulable photoresponse under multiple-light-beam conditions. The BPPD exhibits large linear dynamic ranges of over 100 dB for both positive and negative photocurrent conditions, with noise equivalent powers as low as 0.1 nW cm−2. By modulating the photocurrent with intensities and wavelengths of incident lights, five basic optical-modulated logic operations (“OR,” “AND,” “NOR,” “NOT,” and “NAND”) have been demonstrated with a single BPPD. Moreover, a dual-channel image transmission system featuring encrypted optical communication is realized using a single BPPD.