Satellite observations reveal a substantial decline in September Arctic sea ice extent since 1979, which has played a leading role in the observed recent Arctic surface warming and has often been ...attributed, in large part, to the increase in greenhouse gases. However, the most rapid decline occurred during the recent global warming hiatus period. Previous studies are often focused on a single mechanism for changes and variations of summer Arctic sea ice extent, and many are based on short observational records. The key players for summer Arctic sea ice extent variability at multidecadal/centennial time scales and their contributions to the observed summer Arctic sea ice decline are not well understood. Here a multiple regression model is developed for the first time, to the author’s knowledge, to provide a framework to quantify the contributions of three key predictors (Atlantic/Pacific heat transport into the Arctic, and Arctic Dipole) to the internal low-frequency variability of Summer Arctic sea ice extent, using a 3,600-y-long control climate model simulation. The results suggest that changes in these key predictors could have contributed substantially to the observed summer Arctic sea ice decline. If the ocean heat transport into the Arctic were to weaken in the near future due to internal variability, there might be a hiatus in the decline of September Arctic sea ice. The modeling results also suggest that at multidecadal/centennial time scales, variations in the atmosphere heat transport across the Arctic Circle are forced by anticorrelated variations in the Atlantic heat transport into the Arctic.
Significance The observed decline in summer Arctic sea ice has often been attributed, in large part, to the increase in greenhouse gases. However, the contributions from internal low-frequency variability in the climate system are not well understood. Here a multiple regression model is developed for the first time, to the author’s knowledge, to quantify the contributions of three key predictors on the internal low-frequency variability of summer Arctic sea ice extent. If the ocean heat transport into the Arctic were to weaken in the near future due to internal variability, there might be a hiatus in the decline of September Arctic sea ice, and a delay in attaining a summer ice-free Arctic. This plausible scenario with broad ecological and economic impacts should not be ignored.
There is an urgent need for vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) because of the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Among all approaches, a messenger RNA (mRNA)-based vaccine has emerged as ...a rapid and versatile platform to quickly respond to this challenge. Here, we developed a lipid nanoparticle-encapsulated mRNA (mRNA-LNP) encoding the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 as a vaccine candidate (called ARCoV). Intramuscular immunization of ARCoV mRNA-LNP elicited robust neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 as well as a Th1-biased cellular response in mice and non-human primates. Two doses of ARCoV immunization in mice conferred complete protection against the challenge of a SARS-CoV-2 mouse-adapted strain. Additionally, ARCoV is manufactured as a liquid formulation and can be stored at room temperature for at least 1 week. ARCoV is currently being evaluated in phase 1 clinical trials.
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•Development of LNP-encapsulated mRNA vaccine (ARCoV) targeting the RBD of SARS-CoV-2•ARCoV induces neutralizing antibodies and T cell immunity in mice and NHPs•ARCoV vaccination confers full protection against SARS-CoV-2 challenge in mice•ARCoV is a thermostable vaccine candidate for phase I studies
ARCoV is an LNP-encapsulated mRNA vaccine platform that is highly immunogenic and safe in mice and non-human primates, conferring protection against challenge with a SARS-CoV-2 mouse-adapted strain.
Satellite altimeter data shows a weakening of the North Atlantic subpolar gyre during the 1990s, which is thought as an indicator of a slowdown of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation ...(AMOC). However, whether the recent slowing subpolar gyre is a decadal variation or a long‐term trend remains unclear. Here I show that altimeter data is highly correlated with instrumental subsurface ocean temperature data in the North Atlantic, and both show opposite signs between the subpolar gyre and the Gulf Stream path. Such a dipole pattern is a distinctive fingerprint of AMOC variability, as shown for the first time by a 1000‐year coupled ocean‐atmosphere model simulation. The results suggest that, contrary to previous interpretations, the recent slowdown of the subpolar gyre is a part of a multidecadal variation and suggests a strengthening of the AMOC. The ongoing satellite and subsurface temperature measurements could be used to monitor future AMOC variations sensitively.
This paper aims to propose a table tennis target detection (TD) method based on deep learning (DL) and multi-scale feature fusion (MFF) to improve the detection accuracy of the ball in table tennis ...competition, optimize the training process of athletes, and improve the technical level. In this paper, DL technology is used to improve the accuracy of table tennis TD through MFF guidance. Initially, based on the FAST Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (FAST R-CNN), the TD is carried out in the table tennis match. Then, through the method of MFF guidance, different levels of feature information are fused, which improves the accuracy of TD. Through the experimental verification on the test set, it is found that the mean Average Precision (mAP) value of the target detection algorithm (TDA) proposed here reaches 87.3%, which is obviously superior to other TDAs and has higher robustness. The DL TDA combined with the proposed MFF can be applied to various detection fields and can help the application of TD in real life.
Uranium is a key resource for the development of the nuclear industry, and extracting uranium from the natural seawater is one of the most promising ways to address the shortage of uranium resources. ...Herein, a semiconducting covalent organic framework (named NDA‐TN‐AO) with excellent photocatalytic and photoelectric activities was synthesized. The excellent photocatalytic effect endowed NDA‐TN‐AO with a high anti‐biofouling activity by generating biotoxic reactive oxygen species and promoting photoelectrons to reduce the adsorbed UVI to insoluble UIV, thereby increasing the uranium extraction capacity. Owing to the photoinduced effect, the adsorption capacity of NDA‐TN‐AO to uranium in seawater reaches 6.07 mg g−1, which is 1.33 times of that in dark. The NDA‐TN‐AO with enhanced adsorption capacity is a promising material for extracting uranium from the natural seawater.
Photoelectric and photocatalytic effects endow the covalent organic framework NDA‐TN‐AO with good anti‐biofouling activity. This occurs by generating biotoxic reactive oxygen species and promoting photoelectrons to reduce the adsorbed UVI to insoluble UIV, thereby improving the uranium adsorption capacity.
The re-emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Western Hemisphere has resulted in global public health crisis since 2015. ZIKV preferentially infects and targets human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) ...and causes fetal microcephaly upon maternal infection. hNPCs not only play critical roles during fetal brain development, but also persist in adult brain throughout life. Yet the mechanism of innate antiviral immunity in hNPCs remains largely unknown. Here, we show that ZIKV infection triggers the abundant production of virus-derived small interfering RNAs in hNPCs, but not in the more differentiated progenies or somatic cells. Ablation of key RNAi machinery components significantly enhances ZIKV replication in hNPCs. Furthermore, enoxacin, a broad-spectrum antibiotic that is known as an RNAi enhancer, exerts potent anti-ZIKV activity in hNPCs and other RNAi-competent cells. Strikingly, enoxacin treatment completely prevents ZIKV infection and circumvents ZIKV-induced microcephalic phenotypes in brain organoid models that recapitulate human fetal brain development. Our findings highlight the physiological importance of RNAi-mediated antiviral immunity during the early stage of human brain development, uncovering a novel strategy to combat human congenital viral infections through enhancing RNAi.
AMOC variations are often thought to propagate with the Kelvin wave speed, resulting in a short time lead between high and low latitudes AMOC variations. However as shown in this paper using a ...coupled climate model (GFDL CM2.1), with the existence of interior pathways of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) from Flemish Cap to Cape Hatteras as that observed recently, AMOC variations estimated in density space propagate with the advection speed in this region, resulting in a much longer time lead (several years) between subpolar and subtropical AMOC variations and providing a more useful predictability. The results suggest that AMOC variations have significant meridional coherence in density space, and monitoring AMOC variations in density space at higher latitudes might reveal a stronger signal with a several‐year time lead.
Conductive, stretchable, environmentally‐friendly, and strain‐sensitive elastomers are attracting immense research interest because of their potential applications in various areas, such as ...human–machine interfaces, healthcare monitoring, and soft robots. Herein, a binary networked elastomer is reported based on a composite hydrogel of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI), which is demonstrated to be ultrastretchable, mechanically robust, biosafe, and antibacterial. The mechanical stretchability and toughness of the hydrogels are optimized by tuning the constituent ratio and water content. The optimal hydrogel (PVA2PEI1‐75) displays an impressive tensile strain as high as 500% with a corresponding tensile stress of 0.6 MPa. Furthermore, the hydrogel elastomer is utilized to fabricate piezoresistive sensors. The as‐made strain sensor displays seductive capability to monitor and distinguish multifarious human motions with high accuracy and sensitivity, like facial expressions and vocal signals. Therefore, the elastomer reported in this study holds great potential for sensing applications in the era of the Internet of Things (IoTs).
A binary networked elastomer based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) exhibits ultrastretchable, mechanically robust, biosafety, and antibacterial properties. Through optimizing the constituent ratio and water content, the composite hydrogel displays seductive elasticity and is further used to monitor and distinguish multifarious human motions with high accuracy and sensitivity, like facial expressions and vocal signals.
Senescence is a leading cause of mortality, disability, and non‐communicable chronic diseases in older adults. Mounting evidence indicates that the presence of cardiovascular disease and risk factors ...elevates the incidence of both vascular cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Age‐related declines in cardiovascular function may impair cerebral blood flow (CBF) regulation, leading to the disruption of neuronal micro‐environmental homeostasis. The brain is the most metabolically active organ with limited intracellular energy storage and critically depends on CBF to sustain neuronal metabolism. In patients with AD, cerebral hypoperfusion, increased CBF pulsatility, and impaired blood pressure control during orthostatic stress have been reported, indicating exaggerated, age‐related decline in both cerebro‐ and cardiovascular function. Currently, AD lacks effective treatments; therefore, the development of preventive strategy is urgently needed. Regular aerobic exercise improves cardiovascular function, which in turn may lead to a better CBF regulation, thus reducing the dementia risk. In this review, we discuss the effects of aging on cardiovascular regulation of CBF and provide new insights into the vascular mechanisms of cognitive impairment and potential effects of aerobic exercise training on CBF regulation.
This article is part of the Special Issue “Vascular Dementia”.
We propose that age‐related decline of cardiovascular function profoundly alters cerebral blood flow (CBF). The stiffening and wall thickening of central elastic arteries elevate systolic (SBP) and pulse (PP) pressure which subsequently augment CBF pulsatility. The elevated mean arterial pressure (MAP), resulting from increased total peripheral resistance (TPR) and endothelial dysfunction, may induce cerebrovascular remodeling to increase the resistance (CVR) and impedance. The blunted cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) may lead to BP and CBF instability during extrinsic stimuli (e.g., postural change).
This article is part of the Special Issue “Vascular Dementia”.
Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction (ECR) is a promising technology to simultaneously alleviate CO2‐caused climate hazards and ever‐increasing energy demands, as it can utilize CO2 in the atmosphere to ...provide the required feedstocks for industrial production and daily life. In recent years, substantial progress in ECR systems has been achieved by the exploitation of various novel electrode materials. The anodic materials and cathodic catalysts that have, respectively, led to high‐efficiency energy input and effective heterogenous catalytic conversion in ECR systems are comprehensively reviewed. Based on the differences in the nature of energy sources and the role of materials used at the anode, the fundamentals of ECR systems, including photo‐anode‐assisted ECR systems and bio‐anode‐assisted ECR systems, are explained in detail. Additionally, the cathodic reaction mechanisms and pathways of ECR are described along with a discussion of different design strategies for cathode catalysts to enhance conversion efficiency and selectivity. The emerging challenges and some perspective on both anode materials and cathodic catalysts are also outlined for better development of ECR systems.
Electrode materials are considered to be important components for electrocatalytic CO2 reduction systems, as they affect the energy input method and CO2 conversion efficiencies. Various photo‐anode and bio‐anode materials for lowering external bias and progress on cathode catalysts for improving CO2 conversion efficiencies are comprehensively reviewed. Moreover, enhancement strategies in the design of these electrode materials are highlighted.
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