The egg parasitoid Anastatus japonicus is a key natural enemy in the biological control of various agricultural and forestry pests. It is particularly used against the brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys and the emerging defoliator pest Caligula japonica in East Asia. It has been proved that the eggs of Antheraea pernyi can be used as a factitious host for the mass production of A. japonicus. This study systematically documented the parasitic behaviour and developmental morphology exhibited by A. japonicus on the eggs of A. pernyi. The parasitic behaviour of A. japonicus encompassed ten steps including searching, antennation, locating, digging, probing, detecting, oviposition, host-feeding, grooming, and resting. Oviposition, in particular, was observed to occur in three stages, with the parasitoids releasing eggs during the second stage when the body remained relatively static. Among all the steps of parasitic behaviour, probing accounted for the longest time, constituting 33.1% of the whole time. It was followed by digging (19.3%), oviposition (18.5%), antennation (9.6%), detecting (7.4%), and the remaining steps, each occupying less than 5.0% of the total event time. The pre-emergence of adult A. japonicus involves four stages: egg (0 to 2nd day), larva (3rd to 9th day), pre-pupa (10th to 13th day), pupa (14th to 22nd day), and subsequent development into an adult. Typically, it takes 25.60 ± 0.30 days to develop from an egg to an adult at 25℃. This information increases the understanding of the biology of A. japonicus and may provide a reference for optimising reproductive devices.

The NIST Workshop: Integrating Crystallographic and Computational Approaches to Carbon-Capture Materials for the Mitigation of Climate Change took place from October 31–November 1, 2023 at the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) Compound in Rockville, MD, which is an off-campus NIST facility. This workshop provided a forum for experimentalists and theorists working on the structural aspects of CO2 capture and sequestration materials to review the current state of the art in this field and discuss opportunities for collaborative research required to develop tools for rapid determination of the structure and its effect on the direct air capture performance in porous solid sorbents. We had a total of 33 international participants (18 invited speakers) from 17 institutions who were experimentalists and theorists from academia, government, and industry. The workshop was a great success.

This paper explores the use of inkjet-printing technology for transparent transmitarrays, presenting a viable alternative to traditional copper microwire counterparts. The study focuses on achieving high-gain performance crucial for wireless communication systems, with a particular emphasis on the fifth-generation (5G) millimeter-wave communication. Transparent transmitarrays leverage transparent conducting films and conductive mesh structures, overcoming opacity limitations and seamlessly integrating with urban architecture. In this paper, the inkjet-printing process is detailed for fabricating transmitarray apertures, highlighting the flexibility and precision in depositing nanosilver particles onto a glass substrate. The design intricacies involve optimizing feeding characteristics, determining unit cell structures, and constructing transmitarrays of various sizes. To validate the proposed technique, three different apertures (15 × 15, 20 × 20, and 25 × 25 unit cells) are constructed. The antenna performances are evaluated in terms of reflection coefficients, radiation efficiency, realized gain, and patterns, demonstrating the effectiveness of inkjet-printed transmitarrays. Comparative analysis with copper microwire counterparts is also conducted, validating the inkjet-printing technology for similar gain performance with added advantages of flexibility, compatibility with transparent substrates, and cost-effective manufacturing.

Polarized electron beam production via laser wakefield acceleration in pre-polarized plasma is investigated by particle-in-cell simulations. The evolution of the electron beam polarization is studied based on the Thomas–Bargmann–Michel–Telegdi equation for the transverse and longitudinal self-injection, and the depolarization process is found to be influenced by the injection schemes. In the case of transverse self-injection, as found typically in the bubble regime, the spin precession of the accelerated electrons is mainly influenced by the wakefield. However, in the case of longitudinal injection in the quasi-1D regime (for example, F. Y. Li et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 135002 (2013)), the direction of electron spin oscillates in the laser field. Since the electrons move around the laser axis, the net influence of the laser field is nearly zero and the contribution of the wakefield can be ignored. Finally, an ultra-short electron beam with polarization of $99\%$ can be obtained using longitudinal self-injection.

Seven accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon (AMS 14C) dates (7260±106∼7607±95 BP averaged 7444±103 BP) on a giant oyster shell, collected from an ancient shore of the Taipei Basin, are similar to the LSC (liquid scintillation counting) 14C age (7260±46 BP) of a grass sample inside the shell. The calibrated 14C ages of the C. gigas by Marine20 are 7490±240∼7805±230 cal BP (average 7660±96 cal BP), generally agreed with the calibrated LSC 14C ages of the grass and the oyster shell. Combined with other 14C ages of shoreline samples in the Taipei Basin, it is evident that sea level rose from 8600 to 7600 cal BP and reached a stand higher than modern sea level. During this marine transgression, the sedimentation rate along the shoreline was very high because 14C dating was not able to detect age differences for 4–5 m thick sediment sequences. Sixty-nine analyses of δ18O and δ13C from the oldest part of the shell exhibit clear seasonal cycles, with a 4-year period of growth in the 5.5-cm section. According to the δ18O values, the ancient oyster grew in a warmer-than-present shoreline environment, suggesting that the current absence of the giant oyster in Taiwan is not due to warming conditions.

Using monthly data from 1978:M1 to 2019:M9, this paper provides empirical evidence concerning the role that monetary policy plays in the US housing market. We first show that shocks to short-run interest rates have significant impacts on house prices and that these effects are persistent. Our findings also provide evidence supporting the claim that too-low-for-too-long interest rates are responsible for the 2002–2006 US housing boom. We further investigate the different channels through which an easing monetary policy fuels the house price boom and find that faster sales and lower inventory levels in the housing market most amplify the policy effects. Lastly, we provide compelling evidence of the asymmetric effects of contractionary and expansionary monetary policies on house prices.

We aim to explore the association between caffeine and its metabolites and bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women. Data of 4286 postmenopausal women were extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database in 2009–14 in this cross-sectional study. Weighted linear regression and stepwise regression analyses were used to screen the covariates. Weighted univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were used to explore the associations between caffeine and its metabolites and BMD. The evaluation index was estimated value (β) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). We also explored these relationships in age subgroups. The median BMD level among the eligible women was 0⋅7 gm/cm2. After adjusting for covariates including age, body mass index (BMI), fat intake, Calcium (Ca) supplements, diabetes mellitus (DM), angina pectoris, parental history of osteoporosis (OP), anti-osteoporosis therapy, poverty income ratio (PIR), vitamin D (VD) supplements, coronary heart disease (CHD), and previous fracture, we found that caffeine intake was not significantly related to the BMD reduction (β = 0, P = 0⋅135). However, caffeine metabolites, including MethyluricAcid3, MethyluricAcid7, MethyluricAcid37, Methylxanthine3, and Methylxanthine37, were negatively associated with the BMD (all P < 0⋅05). In addition, MethyluricAcid37 and Methylxanthine37 were negatively associated with BMD in females aged <65 years old, while MethyluricAcid3 and Methylxanthine3 were noteworthy in those who aged ≥65 years old. The roles of caffeine and its metabolites in BMD reduction and OP in postmenopausal women needed further exploration.

Chinmen Island is located in the west of the Taiwan Strait, 15 km from the coast of mainland China. Mesozoic granitic gneiss forms the basement rocks of the island. High-defect kaolin deposits, both major sedimentary and minor residual types of clays, have been mined for ceramic uses for many years. The objectives of this study were to characterize the kaolin deposits and to discuss the genesis of kaolin minerals on the island. The kaolin samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission and scanning electron microscopy. In general, the particle-size distribution of the sedimentary kaolin was 0.5–5.0% sand, 15–55% silt and 30–85% clay. In the clay fraction, the ratio of kaolinite to illite ranged from 9:1 to 3:1. The sedimentary kaolin materials were originally transported by river from mainland China. Kaolinite occurred generally as pseudo-hexagonal platelets of ∼1 µm in diameter. The residual kaolin minerals resulted from the argillization of granitoid rocks by in situ weathering which possibly occurred during the Pleistocene. The residual kaolin contained more tubular halloysite.

Functional montmorillonite can be dispersed in polymer coatings and organic species and polymers can be intercalated into the interlayer space or grafted onto the surface of the functional montmorillonite. The addition of functional montmorillonite into polymer-based coatings can significantly improve anti-corrosion, refractory, super-hydrophobicity, antibacterial activity, and absorption of solar radiation by the resulting montmorillonite/polymer coatings. Montmorillonite can be functionalized for this purpose by ion exchange, intercalation, exfoliation, or combinations of these treatments. The rigid montmorillonite layers interspersed within the polymer matrix inhibit the penetration of corrosive substances, minimize the impact of high-temperature airflow, and thereby lead to strong resistance of the coating to corrosion and fire. The combination of polymers and dispersed montmorillonite nanolayers, which are modified by metal ions, metal oxides, and hydrophobic organic species, allows the resulting  composite coating to have quite a rough surface and a much smaller surface free energy so that the montmorillonite/polymer coating possesses superhydrophobicity. The interlayer space of functional montmorillonite can also host or encapsulate antibacterial substances, phase-change materials, and solar energy-absorbing materials. Moreover, it can act as a template to make these guest species exist in a more stable and ordered state. Literature surveys suggest that future work on the functional montmorillonite/polymer coatings should be targeted at the manufacture of functional montmorillonite nanolayers by finding more suitable modifiers and tuning the dispersion and funtionalities of montmorillonite in the coatings.

In order to develop high-performance adsorbents to remove toxic methylene blue (MB) from wastewater, palygorskite (Plg) was utilized as a template to prepare palygorskite/carbon (Plg/C) composites by using a hydrothermal reaction in the presence of glucose. The porous Plg/C composites were then activated with ZnCl2. The effects of the dose of the activator and the activation temperature on the crystal structure, micro-morphology, specific surface area, and adsorption performance of the porous Plg/C composites were studied systematically here. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results indicated that the crystal structure of Plg was destroyed during the activation process and irregular porous carbon was closely attached to the residual aluminosilicate skeleton. The activation was optimized at 400°C with a ZnCl2:Plg/C impregnation ratio of 2:1. The sample had a specific surface area of 1497.88 m2/g, together with a total pore volume and micropore volume of 1.0355 and 0.5464 cm3/g, respectively. The MB adsorption capacity was 381.04 mg/g. Such inexpensive, high-performance, porous Plg/C composites could find potential applications in wastewater treatment.

The Tuluanshan Formation of the eastern Coastal Range of Taiwan overlies an andesitic core complex presumed to be the source of hydrothermal fluids responsible for the Si- and Mg-rich mineralization of sepiolite and palygorskite (attapulgite) which are found in veins within fissures and in fracture zones of the volcanic rocks of the region. This study was undertaken in order to understand these relationships better by characterizing sepiolite and palygorskite in this Formation and by examining their occurrence and distribution in the Tungho (TH) and Chunjih (CJ) areas. Samples were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and petrographic, scanning (SEM), and transmission (TEM) electron microscopic methods. Sepiolite and palygorskite are blocky and earthy-type materials that display fibrous characteristics when viewed using TEM and SEM and occurred alone or with chalcedony in veins. The fibers of blocky sepiolite are commonly intercalated with smectite but the earthy type of sepiolite and palygorskite observed in this study displayed precipitation from fluid enriched in Si, Al, Mg, and minor Fe and depleted in other ions at an earlier stage of offset of the andesitic veins. Continuation of reverse faulting and high shearing stress caused the precipitation of a significant quantity of interlaminated sepiolite. Sepiolite and palygorskite were formed at an earlier stage of fluid interaction relative to smectite in the Tuluanshan Formation.

The clinical significance and potential targets of miR-150-5p have not been elucidated in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The pooled analysis based on 539 NPC samples and 75 non-NPC nasopharyngeal samples demonstrated that the expression of miR-150-5p was down-regulated in NPC, with the area under the curve being 0.89 and the standardized mean difference being −0.66. Subsequently, we further screened the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of 14 datasets, including 312 NPC samples and 70 non-NPC nasopharyngeal samples. After the DEGs were narrowed down with the predicted targets from the miRWalk database, 1316 prospective target genes of miR-150-5p were identified. The enrichment analysis suggested that “pathways in cancer” was the most significant pathway. Finally, six hub genes of “pathways in cancer”, including EGFR, TP53, HRAS, CCND1, CDH1, and FGF2, were screened out through the STRING database. In conclusion, the down-regulation of miR-150-5p modulates the tumorigenesis and progression of NPC.

Background. Heart failure (HF) is defined as the inability of the heart’s systolic and diastolic function to properly discharge blood flow from the veins to the heart. The goal of our research is to look into the possible mechanism that causes HF. Methods. The GSE5406 database was used for screening the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network were applied to analyze DEGs. Besides, cell counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) was conducted to observe the knockdown effect of hub genes on cell proliferation. Results. Finally, 377 upregulated and 461 downregulated DEGs came out, enriched in the extracellular matrix organization and gap junction. According to GSEA results, Hoft cd4 positive alpha beta memory t cell bcg vaccine age 18–45 yo id 7 dy top 100 deg ex vivo up, Sobolev t cell pandemrix age 18–64 yo 7 dy dn, and so on were significantly related to gene set GSE5406. 7 hub genes, such as COL1A1, UBB, COL3A1, HSP90AA1, MYC, STAT3 and MAPK1, were selected from PPI networks. CCK-8 indicated silencing of STAT3 promoted the proliferation of H9C2 cells and silencing of UBB inhibited the proliferation of H9C2 cells. Conclusion. Our analysis reveals that COL1A1, UBB, COL3A1, HSP90AA1, MYC, STAT3, and MAPK1 might promote the progression of HF and become the biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment of HF.

Traditionally, land subsidence resulting from groundwater over-pumping has often been described by the theory of consolidation. The mechanism of land subsidence due to the dehydration of clay minerals has not been well addressed. Therefore, this study develops a smectite dehydration model to describe the effect of the release of water from the smectite interlayer upon land subsidence. Using a thermodynamic solid-solution model and laboratory studies of clay-water systems, a complete description of the dehydration relationships among the swelling pressure, basal spacing and mw/mc in a Na-smectite water system at 25°C under variable pressure conditions was derived. Accordingly, the evaluation model of the ‘hydration state of smectite’, and the ‘solid-solution model of smectite dehydration’ were formulated rigorously. These two models were applied to quantify the effects of smectite dehydration on the accumulated land subsidence in the Yun Lin offshore industrial infrastructure complex and in the Tai-Shi area. The result reveals that smectite dehydration is of importance in assessing and predicting land subsidence in a shallow sedimentary basin.

Parasitoid wasps, notably egg parasitoids of the family Eupelmidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea), a key natural enemy of insect pests, offer a sustainable approach to pest management in agriculture. This study investigated the venom apparatus's developmental dynamics across 4 species of eupelmid egg parasitoids: Anastatus. japonicus, Anastatus fulloi, Mesocomys trabalae and Mesocomys albitarsis. A comprehensive anatomical investigation revealed differences in the dimensions of the venom apparatus across different developmental stages in adult females. We found that the venom apparatus of these 4 studied species consists of a venom gland and a reservoir with an associated Dufour's gland. As the length of post-emergence increases, a significant enlargement in the venom apparatus is evident across all the studied parasitoid species. Notably, M. albitarsis consistently exhibites the shortest venom gland length, whereas that of A. fulloi is the longest among the observed species. At the high day age, the width of venom glands of the 2 Mesocomys species surpasses those of the Anastatus species; for the volume of the venom reservoir, there is a steady increase in all 4 species before the age of 6–7 days, with a decline on 8th day, especially for A. japonicus. This research provided new insights into the developmental trajectories of venom apparatus in eupelmid egg parasitoids and the potential impact of venom potency on their success.

This study aimed to investigate the optimal frozen embryo transfer (FET) strategy for recurrent implantation failure (RIF) patients with three consecutive failed cleaved embryo implantations and no blastocyst preservation. This retrospective analysis was divided into three groups based on the FET strategy: thawed day 3 embryo transfer (D3 FET group); and extended culture of frozen–thawed day 3 embryos to day 5 blastocysts transfer (D3–D5 FET group); thawed blastocyst transfer (D5 FET group). Transplant cycle data were compared between the three groups. In total, 43.8% of vitrified–thawed cleavage embryos developed into blastocysts. Analysis of the three transplantation strategies showed that, compared with the D3 FET group, D3–D5 had a significantly better hCG-positivity rate and live-birth rate (P < 0.05). Pregnancy outcomes in the D3–D5 FET group and D5 FET group were similar regarding hCG-positivity rate, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and live-birth rate. Our findings propose two potentially valuable transfer strategies for patients experiencing repeated implantation failures. The D3–D5 FET approach presents a greater potential for selecting promising embryos in cases without blastocyst preservation; however, this strategy does entail the risk of cycle cancellation. Conversely, in instances where blastocyst preservation is an option, prioritizing consideration of the D5 FET strategy is recommended.