In 2013, President Xi Jinping announced the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), aimed at positioning China at the forefront of the global economy. Central to the BRI is the pursuit of energy security—a long-standing priority linked to diplomacy and essential for China’s continued growth. To meet its rising energy needs, China has launched numerous infrastructure development projects, with energy playing a key role within the broader BRI framework. Similarly, since the oil crisis of the 1970s, the European Union (EU) has prioritised energy security through investments in alternative energy sources and resource diversification. This article explores the shared interests of these two economic powers in securing and investing in alternative energy. It focuses on a central question: how might the BRI align with the EU’s Neighborhood Policy to strengthen energy independence across Eurasia and generate mutual benefit? This analysis examines both the challenges and the opportunities for collaboration and synergy.

This pioneering study examined the wound healing and regeneration abilities of the upside-down jellyfish Cassiopea at the Cnidarian Laboratory of the ICAR-Tuticorin Regional Station, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), India. A total of nine specimens (5.8 ± 0.4 cm) were studied, including six control medusae, one accidentally injured jellyfish (cut into four unequal fragments), and two amputated jellyfish (each divided into four equal fragments, totalling eight fragments). All specimens were maintained in a recirculatory aquarium system under optimal seawater conditions. Species identification of the control was confirmed through Basic Local Alingment Search Tool (BLAST) analysis of the 16S rRNA gene, showing 98.91% similarity with Cassiopea xamachana (Bigelow 1892), from the United States of America (USA) GenBank Accession No. ON545804.1, and validated through phylogenetic analysis. Microscopic and morphological observations revealed that the oral arm tissue lacked pulsing activity and could not regenerate its body structure. In contrast, fragments of umbrella tissue from both amputated and injured specimens exhibited pulsing and successfully regained symmetry within 7–15 days. The first phase of self-healing involved the reformation of umbrella symmetry, regeneration of bell tissue, and resumed functions similar to those of the normal medusa. The development of canal systems, including anastomosing vessels radiating from the centre, oral arms extending from the mouth, vesicles from the arms, and the central disc, was documented. The experimental observations revealed sequential wound healing through regeneration and morphogenesis in amputated and injured medusa. This study established Cassiopea as a promising cnidarian model organism for regeneration studies, highlighting its remarkable self-repairing and regenerative capabilities.

We consider radially symmetric solutions of the degenerate Keller–Segel system

\begin{align*}\begin{cases}\partial_t u=\nabla\cdot (u^{m-1}\nabla u - u\nabla v),\\0=\Delta v -\mu +u,\quad\mu =\frac{1}{|\Omega|}\int_\Omega u,\end{cases}\end{align*}

in balls $\Omega\subset\mathbb R^n$, $n\ge 1$, where m > 1 is arbitrary. Our main result states that the initial evolution of the positivity set of u is essentially determined by the shape of the (nonnegative, radially symmetric, Hölder continuous) initial data u0 near the boundary of its support $\overline{B_{r_1}(0)}\subsetneq\Omega$: It shrinks for sufficiently flat and expands for sufficiently steep u0. More precisely, there exists an explicit constant $A_{\mathrm{crit}} \in (0, \infty)$ (depending only on $m, n, R, r_1$ and $\int_\Omega u_0$) such that if $u_0(x)\le A(r_1-|x|)^\frac{1}{m-1}$ for all $|x|\in(r_0, r_1)$ and some $r_0\in(0,r_1)$ and $A \lt A_{\mathrm{crit}}$ then there are T > 0 and ζ > 0 such that $\sup\{\, |x| \mid x \in \operatorname{supp} u(\cdot, t)\,\}\le r_1 -\zeta t$ for all $t\in(0, T)$, while if $u_0(x)\ge A(r_1-|x|)^\frac{1}{m-1}$ for all $|x|\in(r_0, r_1)$ and some $r_0 \in (0, r_1)$ and $A \gt A_{\mathrm{crit}}$ then we can find T > 0 and ζ > 0 such that $\sup\{\, |x| \mid x \in \operatorname{supp} u(\cdot, t)\,\}\ge r_1 +\zeta t$ for all $t\in(0, T)$.

Gallium nitride technology takes advantage of the survivability for low-noise applications, while SiGe and GaAs technologies are recognized for the better noise figure (NF). In this paper, the technique for implementing inductive source degenerated HEMTs in all the stages to have a better NF is combined with a technique of high value gate bias resistor (RGB) to improve survivability. Moreover, this work includes the dependence of the reverse recovery time on different values of RGB with respect to the trap phenomenon and the RC time constant. The designed low-noise amplifier (LNA) achieves an NF better than 1.4 dB for 7.5–11.5 GHz, OIP3 up to 33 dBm, input reflection coefficient better than −8.4 dB, and output reflection coefficient better than −11.1 dB. NF has a minimum of 1.15 dB at 9.9 GHz. The small-signal gain of LNA is better than 15.3 dB in the whole frequency band, and the output power at 1 dB gain compression is 23 dBm at 11.5 GHz. LNA survives an input stress level of up to 39 dBm. The dimensions of the designed LNA MMIC are 2.9 mm × 1.3 mm.

We report the first documented case of isolated double-orifice mitral valve causing significant left ventricular outflow tract obstruction in an infant. Echocardiography revealed a complete bridge-type double-orifice mitral valve with aberrant chordal insertion into the interventricular septum, producing severe left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. This rare presentation underscores the importance of meticulous echocardiographic assessment for accurate diagnosis and surgical planning.

We report the first case in Vietnam of transcatheter pulmonary valve-in-valve implantation using the self-expanding Pulsta valve in a young adult with repaired Tetralogy of Fallot. This case demonstrates the feasibility, safety, and early effectiveness of self-expanding valves in complex right ventricular outflow tract anatomies and highlights the importance of multimodal imaging in procedural planning.

We establish a novel duality relationship between continuous/discrete non-negative non-decreasing functionals of stochastic (not necessarily Markovian) processes and their right inverses, and further discuss its applications. For general Markov processes, we develop a theoretical and computational framework for the transform analysis via an operator-based approach, i.e. through the infinitesimal generators. More precisely, we characterize the joint double transforms of additive functionals of Markov processes and the terminal values in continuous/discrete time. Under the continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) setting, we obtain single Laplace transforms for continuous/discrete additive functionals and their inverses. We apply the proposed transform methodology to computing option prices related to the occupation time of the underlying asset price process.

From 1493 to 1507, Hernando de Talavera, the first archbishop of Granada after the Spanish Reconquista, ran a residential school for Morisco noble boys in his palace. This article argues that Talavera’s school set the foundation for the long history of residential schooling as a tool to transform or eradicate a conquered culture through the cultural assimilation of children. A champion of Christian humanism, Talavera thought that cultivating good manners (that is, adopting Spanish customs) was the main marker of a true Christian. Thus, his pedagogy aimed to educate everyone, particularly Morisco children, in what he considered the most reasonable and natural ways of living. By examining Talavera’s spiritual pedagogy, his humanist influences, and the educational experiences of Morisco boys at his palace, this paper lays the groundwork for a genealogical study of modern European colonial residential schooling for non-European children.

We prove a scaling limit theorem for two-type Galton–Watson branching processes with interaction. The limit theorem gives rise to a class of mixed-state branching processes with interaction used to simulate evolution for cell division affected by parasites. Such processes can also be obtained by the pathwise-unique solution to a stochastic equation system. Moreover, we present sufficient conditions for extinction with probability 1 and the exponential ergodicity in the $L^1$-Wasserstein distance of such processes in some cases.

The host plant associations of the bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.), a major pest of wheat, before and after wheat harvest remain poorly understood. Overlapping growth of maize and wheat may promote R. padi survival and movement between crops. We examined population dynamics and constructed life tables for R. padi reared on wheat seedlings, maize husks, and maize leaves. Field-collected R. padi survived on both maize tissues, but aphid abundance declined sharply on aging maize leaves, while aphids on maize husks developed successfully. Aphids reared on wheat exhibited the fastest development, longest lifespan (27.89 ± 1.20 days), highest fecundity (98.59 ± 5.61 nymphs), and lowest mortality (2.56%). In contrast, aphids transferred to maize leaves showed reduced longevity (19.62 ± 1.16 days), lower fecundity (33.55 ± 2.47 nymphs), and higher mortality (23.73%). No significant differences in some reproductive parameters were observed between wheat- and maize husk-reared aphids, indicating relatively good performance on maize husks. Aphids transferred from wheat to maize experienced fitness costs, while aphids moved from maize husks back to wheat exhibited improved performance. These findings suggest that maize husks offer a comparatively favourable resource microhabitat for R. padi, potentially serving as a secondary host that supports population persistence after wheat harvest.

Adverse prenatal conditions can induce intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and increase the risk of adulthood metabolic disease. Mechanisms underlying developmentally programmed metabolic disease remain unclear but may involve disrupted postnatal circadian rhythms and kisspeptin signalling. We investigated the impact of maternal hypoxia-induced IUGR on hypothalamic and hepatic expression of clock genes (Bmal1, Per2 and Reverbα), metabolic genes (Pparα, Pparγ and Pgc1α) and kisspeptin genes (Kiss1 and Kiss1r) in adult offspring. Pregnant BALB/c mice were housed in hypoxic conditions (10.5% oxygen) from gestational day 11 to 17.5 and then returned to normoxic conditions until term (gestational day ∼ 21). Control animals were housed in normoxic conditions throughout pregnancy. Offspring were weighed at birth. At 8 weeks of age, body, liver and brain tissues were collected and weighed. Relative clock gene, metabolic gene and kisspeptin signalling gene expression were measured using qPCR. The IUGR offspring were lighter at birth and remained lighter at 8 weeks but with higher brain relative to body weight. The IUGR offspring had decreased hypothalamic Bmal1 and Reverbα expression, but unchanged hepatic clock gene expression and no change in hypothalamic or hepatic Per2 expression, compared with Control offspring. This tissue-specific change in clock gene expression suggests circadian dysregulation. There were no IUGR-related changes to metabolic gene expression in the hypothalamus or liver, but IUGR offspring had increased hypothalamic Kiss1r expression. These results demonstrate IUGR offspring from hypoxia pregnancies show central circadian misalignment and potentially disrupted hypothalamic Kiss1/Kiss1r signalling, which may contribute to developmentally programmed metabolic disease.