The improvement of the accuracy and real-time performance of sector traffic flow prediction is of great significance to air traffic management decision-making. Sectors operate under complex spatial structures and time dimensions. Some neural network methods adopt sequence order to gradually transmit information, which makes it difficult to achieve complete parallel training. Not only does it take too long to train, resulting in low training efficiency, but it is also easy to lose the effective correlation information of long sequence data. To this end, a sector traffic flow prediction method based on attention-improved graph convolutional transformer (AGC-T) network is proposed to improve the current traffic prediction problem for sectors. First, the graph structure information and historical traffic data of the sector are input into the graph convolutional network improved based on the attention mechanism to fully capture the spatial relationship with sectors as nodes. Combined with the transformer’s multi-head self-attention mechanism, it can directly focus on the sequence data at any position without gradually transmitting information. Not only does it improve efficiency through parallel training, but the encoder-decoder structure can also mine the information features in the traffic data, focus on the traffic data features of key nodes and more accurately predict sector traffic. Finally, the operation traffic data of sectors in typical areas in central and southern China are taken as an example to analyse the model. The results show that compared with other prediction models, the AGC-T model $RSME$, $MAE$ and ${R^2}$ are 45.16%, 46.78% and 2.63% higher than the GCN model in the 15-min single-day traffic prediction task, and 41.74%, 35.27% and 1.20% higher than the GRU model. In the single-week traffic prediction task, $RSME$, $MAE$ and ${R^2}$ are 37.12%, 40.54% and 3.55% higher than the GCN model, and 35.15%, 35.17% and 0.65% higher than the GRU model, respectively, showing better prediction performance. This study will help air navigation service providers (ANSP) to make sector traffic predictions more accurately, thereby implementing more scientific and reasonable traffic management measures.

This study uses a coupled lattice Boltzmann and discrete element method to perform interface-resolved simulations of turbulent channel flow laden with finite-size cylindrical particles. The aim is to investigate interactions between wall-bounded turbulence and non-spherical particles with sharp edges. The particle-to-fluid density ratio is unity and gravity is neglected. Comparative analyses are conducted among long (length-to-diameter aspect ratio 2), unit (1) and short ($ 1/2 $) cylinders, along with spheres and literature data for spheroids. Results reveal both shared and distinct dynamic behaviours of cylinders and their effects on turbulence modulation. Notably, disk-like short cylinders can remain trapped near the wall due to their flat faces aligning closely with it – a behaviour unique to particles with sharp edges. Long and unit cylinders, as well as spheres, preferentially accumulate in high-speed streaks, while short cylinders cluster in low-speed streaks, demonstrating a strong aspect-ratio effect. Near the wall, long cylinders align their axis with the streamwise direction, while short cylinders orient perpendicular to the wall. Rotationally, long cylinders primarily spin, whereas short ones predominantly tumble. These trends arise from orientation preferences and differences in axial and spanwise moments of inertia. Cylindrical particles increase wall drag compared with the single-phase case, with short cylinders causing the greatest enhancement due to strong near-wall accumulation. Overall, the influence of aspect ratio on particle dynamics and turbulence modulation is more pronounced for cylindrical particles than for spheroidal ones.

Wall pressure fluctuations (WPFs) over aerodynamic surfaces contribute to the physical origin of noise generation and vibrational loading. Understanding the generation mechanism of WPFs, especially those exhibiting extremely high amplitudes, is important for advancing design and control in practical applications. In this work, we systematically investigate extreme events of WPFs in turbulent boundary layers and the compressibility effects thereon. The compressibility effects, encompassing extrinsic and intrinsic ones, ranging from weak to strong, are achieved by varying Mach numbers and wall temperatures. A series of datasets at moderate Reynolds numbers obtained from direct numerical simulation are analysed. It is found that the intermittency of WPFs depends weakly on extrinsic compressibility effects, whereas intrinsic compressibility effects significantly enhance intermittency at small scales. Coherent structures related to extreme events are identified using volumetric conditional average. Under extrinsic compressibility effects, extreme events are associated with the weak dilatation structures induced by interactions of high- and low-speed motions. When intrinsic compressibility effects dominate, these events are associated with the strong alternating positive and negative dilatation structures embedded in low-speed streaks. Furthermore, Poisson-equation-based pressure decomposition is performed to partition pressure fluctuations into components governed by distinct physical mechanisms. By analysing the proportion of each pressure component in extreme events, it is found that the contributions of the slow pressure and viscous pressure exhibit weak dependence on the compressibility effects, especially the extrinsic ones, and the varying trend of contributions of the rapid pressure with compressibility effects is opposite to that of the compressible pressure component.

Excavations at Aketala reveal traces of human activity at the oases of the western Tarim Basin, north-western China, by at least 2200 BC. The recovered artefacts indicate that, by 1800 BC, the Andronovo culture had reached this region, bringing agropastoralism and developing the earliest regional evidence of bronze manufacturing techniques.

The emergence, on the Loess Plateau of Central China, of settlements enclosed by circular ditches has engendered lively debate about the function of these (often extensive) ditch systems. Here, the authors report on a suite of new dates and sedimentological analyses from the late Yangshao (5300–4800 BP) triple-ditch system at the Shuanghuaishu site, Henan Province. Exploitation of natural topographic variations, and evidence for ditch maintenance and varied water flows, suggests a key function in hydrological management, while temporal overlap in the use of these three ditches reveals the large scale of this endeavour to adapt to the pressures of the natural environment.

Natural enemies serve a crucial role in crop protection through the regulation of pest population dynamics. Cyrtorhinus lividipennis is an important natural enemy of rice planthoppers. Fatty acid synthase (FAS), a multifunctional enzyme crucial for fatty acid biosynthesis, serves as a vital energy source for insect reproduction. However, the function of FAS in the reproductive processes of C. lividipennis remains incompletely understood. In this study, the ClFAS gene was successfully cloned from C. lividipennis. The open reading frame of ClFAS was 7224 bp, encoding a putative protein of 2407 amino acids. The expression levels of ClFAS were notably elevated in the fifth-instar nymphs, adults, as well as in the fat body and ovaries of female individuals. Silencing of ClFAS resulted in a reduction of 58.4%, 34.6%, and 49.0% in the expression levels of ClVg at 1-, 2-, and 3-days post-dsRNA injection, respectively. Furthermore, RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated depletion of ClFAS not only suppressed the Vg protein expression but also significantly impaired oocyte maturation and ovarian development. The fecundity of dsFAS-treated C. lividipennis females was markedly reduced by 49.5%, accompanied by significant decreases of 32.7% in oviposition duration and 26.3% in female adult lifespan. Our findings showed that ClFAS positively regulates the reproduction of C. lividipennis by promoting vitellogenesis and ovarian development, which provides valuable insights into how lipid metabolism governs fecundity in predatory insects.

Previous studies highlighted the health benefits of coffee and tea, but they only focused on the comparisons between different consumptions. Consequently, the association estimate lacked a clear interpretation, as the substitution of beverages and distribution of doses were not explicitly prescribed. We focused on the ‘relative association’ to ascertain the optimal consumption strategy (including total intake and optimal allocation strategy) for coffee, tea and plain water associated with decreased mortality. Self-reported coffee, tea and plain water intake were used from the UK Biobank. Within a compositional data analysis framework, a multivariate Cox model was used to assess the relative associations after adjusting for a range of potential confounders. The lower mortality risk was observed with at least approximately 7–8 drinks/d of total consumption. When the total intake > 4 drinks/d, substituting plain water with coffee or tea was linked to reduced mortality; nevertheless, the benefit was not seen for ≤ 4 drinks/d. Besides, a balanced consumption of coffee and tea (roughly a ratio of 2:3) associated with the lowest hazard ratios of 0·55 (95 % CI 0·47, 0·64) for all-cause mortality, 0·59 (95 % CI 0·48, 0·72) for cancer mortality, 0·69 (95 % CI 0·49, 0·99) for CVD mortality, 0·28 (95 % CI 0·15, 0·52) for respiratory disease mortality and 0·35 (95 % CI 0·15, 0·82) for digestive disease mortality than other combinations. These results highlight the importance of the rational combination of coffee, tea and plain water, with particular emphasis on ensuring adequate total intake, offering more comprehensive and explicit guidance for individuals.

Cosmogenic 7Be and 10Be are effective tracers for studying atmospheric dynamics and Earth’s surface processes, with over 90% of these isotopes reaching the surface via wet deposition. However, the characteristics and influencing factors of 7Be and 10Be wet deposition remain unclear in different regions, limiting the precision of these nuclides as tracers of environmental change. This study analyzes the annual variation of 7Be and 10Be wet deposition in Xi’an and examines the impact of precipitation on their deposition. Ultra-trace levels of 7Be and 10Be in precipitation were synchronously measured using state-of-the-art accelerator mass spectrometry. One-year (July 30, 2020 to September 3, 2021), high-frequency (individual rain events) and time-synchronized series of observations of 7Be and 10Be wet deposition data (n = 49) were analyzed. The total annual wet deposition fluxes of 7Be and 10Be in central China (34.22°N, 109.01°E) for 2020/21 were (218 ± 24) × 108 atoms·m–2·yr–1 and (314 ± 16) × 108 atoms·m–2·yr–1, respectively. Precipitation amount, intensity, and duration were quantitatively analyzed for their effects on total wet deposition flux, mean concentration, washout ratio, deposition velocity, and scavenging coefficient of 7Be and 10Be during individual rain events. The results indicate that precipitation amount is the most significant factor influencing the wet deposition flux of both nuclides.

Understanding high-variability speech is particularly challenging for second-language (L2) learners due to difficulties with extrinsic normalization, a perceptual strategy utilizing contextual cues to overcome speech variability. This study investigates the neural correlates of these difficulties among Mandarin speakers learning Cantonese, using EEG. Behaviorally, Mandarin learners demonstrated a significant yet considerably reduced ability to normalize Cantonese tone variability with contexts compared to native Cantonese speakers. EEG analysis showed that while native speakers engage multiple neural components (N1, P2, and LPC) for acoustic, phonetic/phonological, and cognitive adjustments in extrinsic normalization, Mandarin learners only activated P2, focusing on phonetic/phonological adjustments. This discrepancy underscores the multi-faceted nature of successful extrinsic normalization, which L2 learners fail to fully engage. L2 immersion significantly improves extrinsic normalization, particularly at the cognitive-adjustment stage. Overall, this study illuminates the intricate nature of poor extrinsic normalization in L2 learners and the importance of L2 immersion for effective L2 speech perception.

Overnutrition during before and pregnancy can cause maternal obesity and raise the risk of maternal metabolic diseases during pregnancy, and in offspring. Lentinus edodes may prevent or reduce obesity. This study aimed to to assess Lentinus edodes fermented products effects on insulin sensitivity, glucose and lipid metabolism in maternal and offspring, and explore its action mechanism. A model of overnutrition during pregnancy and lactation was developed using a 60 % kcal high-fat diet in C57BL6/J female mice. Fermented Lentinus edodes (FLE) was added to the diet at concentrations of 1 %, 3 %, and 5 %. The results demonstrated that FLE to the gestation diet significantly reduced serum insulin levels and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in pregnant mice. FLE can regulate maternal lipid metabolism and reduce fat deposition. Meanwhile, the hepatic phosphoinositide-3-kinase-protein kinase (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway was significantly activated in the maternal mice. There is a significant negative correlation between maternal FLE supplementation doses and offspring body fat percentage and visceral fat content. Furthermore, FLE supplementation significantly increased offspring weaning litter weight, significantly reduced fasting glucose level, serum insulin level, HOMA-IR and serum glucose level, significantly activated liver PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in offspring, and upregulated the expression of liver lipolytic genes adipose triglyceride lipase, hormone-sensitive lipase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 mRNA. Overall, FLE supplementation can regulate maternal lipid metabolism and reduce fat deposition during pregnancy and lactation, and it may improve insulin sensitivity in pregnant mothers and offspring at weaning through activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is economically one of the most threatening pests in tomato cultivation, which not only causes direct damage but also transmits many viruses. Breeding whitefly-resistant tomato varieties is a promising and environmentally friendly method to control whitefly populations in the field. Accumulating evidence from tomato and other model systems demonstrates that flavonoids contribute to plant resistance to herbivorous insects. Previously, we found that high flavonoid-producing tomato line deterred whitefly oviposition and settling behaviours, and was more resistant to whiteflies compared to the near-isogenic low flavonoid-producing tomato line. The objective of the current work is to describe in detail different aspects of the interaction between the whitefly and two tomato lines, including biochemical processes involved. Electrical penetration graph recordings showed that high flavonoid-producing tomato reduced whitefly probing and phloem-feeding efficiency. We also studied constitutive and induced plant defence responses and found that whitefly induced stronger reactive oxygen species accumulation through NADPH oxidase in high flavonoid-producing tomato than in low flavonoid-producing tomato. Moreover, whitefly feeding induced the expression of callose synthase genes and resulted in callose deposition in the sieve elements in high flavonoid-producing tomato but not in low flavonoid-producing tomato. As a consequence, whitefly feeding on high flavonoid-producing tomato significantly decreased uptake of phloem and reduced its performance when compared to low flavonoid-producing tomato. These results indicate that high flavonoid-producing tomato provides phloem-based resistance against whitefly infestation and that the breeding of such resistance in new varieties could enhance whitefly management.

Using individual records of about 950,000 financial advisors, we find that the probability and intensity of financial advisor misconduct significantly increase after local newspaper closures. The impact is more pronounced in counties with a higher proportion of seniors, minorities, and individuals with lower education levels. Male advisors are more likely to commit misconduct following newspaper closures than female advisors. The sensitivity of advisors’ job turnover to misconduct decreases after closures, suggesting a lower cost of committing misconduct. Our evidence indicates that local newspapers play a distinct role in mitigating financial advisor misconduct, as media exposure raises the costs of misbehavior.

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a highly destructive polyvorous pest with a wide host range and the ability to feed continuously with seasonal changes. This destructive pest significantly damages crops and can also utilize non-agricultural plants, such as weeds, as alternative hosts. However, the adaptation mechanisms of S. frugiperda when switching between crop and non-crop hosts remain poorly understood, posing challenges for effective monitoring and integrated pest management strategies. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate the adaptability of S. frugiperda to different host plants. Results showed that corn (Zea mays L.) was more suitable for the growth and development of S. frugiperda than wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and goosegrass (Eleusine indica). Transcriptome analysis identified 699 genes differentially expressed when fed on corn, wheat, and goosegrass. The analysis indicated that the detoxification metabolic pathway may be related to host adaptability. We identified only one SfGSTs2 gene within the GST family and investigated its functional role across different developmental stages and tissues by analysing its spatial and temporal expression patterns. The SfGSTs2 gene expression in the midgut of larvae significantly decreased following RNA interference. Further, the dsRNA-fed larvae exhibited a decreased detoxification ability, higher mortality, and reduced larval weight. The findings highlight the crucial role of SfGSTs2 in host plant adaptation. Evaluating the feeding preferences of S. frugiperda is significant for controlling important agricultural pests.

This paper presents a low-profile miniaturized dual-band antenna utilizing the quarter-mode substrate integrated waveguide (QMSIW) structure. The two modes of TE110 and TE220 of a single QMSIW structure are employed, enabling a dual-band operation. The frequency ratio between the two bands can be tuned by loading a capacitive structure, which is comprised of a capacitive-loaded patch and a short circuit post, inside the QMSIW structure. By introducing parasitic QMSIW structures through magnetic coupling, a dual-band antenna with enhanced bandwidths is achieved. The antenna has dimensions of smaller than 400 mm2 (0.048λL2) with a uniform height of 1.4 mm (0.016λL). Measurement results indicate that the −6 dB impedance bandwidths of the antennas can cover the 5G N78 (3.3–3.6 GHz) and N79 (4.8–5 GHz) bands, and the average efficiencies is better than −2.5 dB. To the authors’ knowledge, the proposed designs offer dual-wideband operation while having the smallest planar dimension compared to the previously reported antennas. Furthermore, an extended electric coupling dual-band antenna configuration is also described and measured, which achieves similar bandwidth extension as the proposed antenna.

We present a unified framework derived from the total heat flux equation, enabling the direct formulation of the relationship between mean temperature and velocity fields, as well as the development of mean temperature scalings in compressible turbulent channel flows. The proposed mean temperature–velocity relationship, combined with a simple damping function model for the mixed Prandtl number, demonstrates high efficacy in channels with both symmetric and asymmetric thermal boundary conditions across a range of Mach and Reynolds numbers. In contrast, the state-of-the-art generalised Reynolds analogy (GRA) relation (Zhang et al., 2014, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 739, pp. 392–420) is shown to be insufficient for asymmetric cases due to mismatched boundary conditions at the effective boundary layer edge. By introducing a mean temperature decomposition, we clarify that while the GRA relation effectively characterises the component associated with turbulence production and viscous dissipation, it fails to account for the contribution arising from non-zero edge total heat flux. Furthermore, we rigorously derive mean temperature transformations compatible with arbitrary velocity scalings for the first time. These findings provide some physical insights into the mean momentum and heat transport in compressible wall-bounded turbulence, and may be helpful for developing near-wall models.