In this paper, we develop a new adaptive hyperbolic-cross-space mapped Jacobi (AHMJ) method for solving multidimensional spatiotemporal integrodifferential equations in unbounded domains. By devising adaptive techniques for sparse mapped Jacobi spectral expansions defined in a hyperbolic cross space, our proposed AHMJ method can efficiently solve various spatiotemporal integrodifferential equations such as the anomalous diffusion model with reduced numbers of basis functions. Our analysis of the AHMJ method gives a uniform upper error bound for solving a class of spatiotemporal integrodifferential equations, leading to effective error control.
Due to the high cost and small scale of Image Quality Assessment (IQA) datasets, achieving robust generalization remains challenging for prevalent Blind IQA (BIQA) methods. Traditional deep learning-based methods emphasize visual information to capture quality features, while recent developments in Vision-Language Models (VLMs) demonstrate strong potential in learning generalizable representations through textual information. However, applying VLMs to BIQA poses three major Challenges: (1) How to make full use of the multi-modal information. (2) The prompt engineering for appropriate quality description is extremely time-consuming. (3) How to use mixed data for joint training to enhance the generalization of VLM-based BIQA model. To this end, we propose a Multi-modal BIQA method with prompt learning, named MMP-IQA. For (1), we propose a conditional fusion module to better utilize the cross-modality information. By jointly adjusting visual and textual features, our model can capture quality information with a stronger representation ability. For (2), we model the quality prompt's context words with learnable vectors during the training process, which can be adaptively updated for superior performances. For (3), we jointly train a linearity-induced quality evaluator, a relative quality evaluator, and a dataset-specific absolute quality evaluator. In addition, we propose a dual automatic weight adjustment strategy to adaptively balance the loss weights between different datasets and among various losses within the same dataset. Extensive experiments illustrate the superior effectiveness of MMP-IQA.
Quorum quenching (QQ)-based strategies are efficient for biofouling control. However, the feasibility of using QQ bacteria in antibiotic-stressed membrane bioreactors (MBRs) remains unknown. In this study, we isolated three novel QQ strains (Bacillus sp. QX01 and QX03, Delftia sp. QX14) from the activated sludge of an actual MBR. They can degrade 11 N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) with high efficiencies and rates through intracellular QQ pathways involving putative acylases and lactonases. Running two lab-scale MBRs, we found that introducing antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole, azithromycin, and ciprofloxacin, each at 100 μg/L) shortened the fouling cycle by 71.4 %. However, the immobilized inoculation of QX01 into one MBR extended the fouling cycle by 1.5-2.0 times. Quantitative detection revealed that QX01 significantly reduced the concentrations of two AHLs (C4-HSL and C8-HSL), which were positively correlated with the contents of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) (Pearson's r = 0.62-0.83, P < 0.01). This suggests that QX01 could perform its QQ activity robustly under antibiotic stress, thereby inhibiting EPS production (proteins especially) and biofilm formation. Moreover, QX01 notably altered the succession patterns of both sludge and fouling communities, with more pronounced effects on abundant taxa. Genera associated with AHL synthesis and EPS production, such as Terrimonas and Rhodobacter, were significantly depleted, contributing to the mitigated biofouling. Additionally, QX01 increased the bacterial community diversity (evenness especially), which was inhibited by antibiotics. Overall, we demonstrate that the novel QQ bacteria could be effective for biofouling control in antibiotic-stressed MBRs, though future work is needed to develop practical approaches for prolonging QQ activity.
The complexity and variability of actual secondary effluent from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) pose significant treatment challenges. In this study, a two-stage biofilter packed with ZVI/Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-cohyroxyvelate/sawdust (ZPS) composites was innovatively constructed to treat actual secondary effluent with high influent dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations (3-8.5 mg/L) for 143 days in a WWTP. Results showed that advanced purification of real secondary effluent was achieved, and the effluent concentrations of TN and TP were stable below 2.0 mg/L and 0.1 mg/L, respectively, at influent TN < 10 mg/L. Microbial community analysis identified unclassified\_f\_\_Rhodocyclaceae as the dominant denitrifiers in both first-class (FC) and second-class (SC) systems. The shift in dominant Fe-related bacteria from Ferritrophicum to Clostridium sensu stricto\_7 from the FC to SC system with DO decreased suggested that ZVI's triple role in oxygen-capturing reagent, denitrification and organic matter decomposition. Co-occurrence network analysis deciphered that Thermomonas and Clostridium\_sensu\_stricto\_10 were key genera in SC system, which formed an obvious Fe redox cycle process that bolsters denitrification under low DO levels. Differential functional gene analysis revealed that high DO could inhibit the activity of Cyt c, NOR and NOS, resulting in a slow and unstable electron transport and consumption in denitrification process. Furthermore, the down-regulation iron cycling genes (feoA and ABC.FEV.S) in FC system suggested that high DO mainly inhibited the Fe2+/Fe3+ transfer system. An inactive Fe cycle at high DO levels highlights the important role of Fe cycle in iron-based denitrification process. These findings advanced the understanding of effected mechanism of DO on nitrogen removal mediated by ZPS composites in actual tailwater treatment. Additionally, the novel ZPS composites can be combined with the removal of antibiotics, and other toxic or harmful substances within wastewater to expand their application.
The demand for aggressive scaling in integrated circuits technology has been a primary driving force behind the rapid advancement of nanotechnology, leading to groundbreaking innovations in nanoscience, engineering, and technology. Initially, the unique phenomena observed at nanoscale enable innovative applications in nanodevices. Now, as our understanding has greatly developed, nanodevices are increasingly being leveraged to provide solutions for a growing range of applications. In this perspective, several key areas are featured that are proposed to benefit significantly from advancements in nanodevices.
This study examines the socio-political landscape of the ancient city of Amastris (modern Amasra) through the lens of its road infrastructure, with a particular focus on the construction and significance of Aquila’s roads. Situated in the challenging terrain of northern Anatolia’s Küre Mountains, Amastris served as a vital maritime hub, linking diverse inland and coastal communities within Paphlagonia. Employing a multidisciplinary approach that integrates ancient literary analysis, archaeological evidence, and geospatial modeling, this paper reconstructs the network of primary and secondary Roman roads emanating from Amastris. The research highlights the dual role of these roads in fostering territorial coherence and enhancing regional connectivity, supporting both local autonomy and imperial governance. Key findings demonstrate that Aquila’s roads were not merely infrastructural projects but strategic undertakings that blended private investment with public utility. These projects reflect the intricate interplay between individual agency and state interests in Roman provincial administration. Furthermore, the study explores the broader cultural and economic impacts of road construction on Amastris, illustrating how connectivity shaped civic identity, social integration, and territorial integrity. The paper concludes that Aquila’s road-building initiatives were instrumental in sustaining Amastris’s strategic significance and functionality within the Roman Empire. By examining the dynamic relationship between local and imperial priorities, this study offers insights into how infrastructure functioned as a nexus of governance, economic development, and regional integration in ancient Anatolia.
Solar power is vital for China's future energy pathways to achieve the goal of 2060 carbon neutrality. Previous studies have suggested that China's solar energy resource potential surpass the projected nationwide power demand in 2060, yet the uncertainty quantification and cost competitiveness of such resource potential are less studied. Therefore, we applied an integrated framework to simulate China's solar photovoltaic (PV) technical potential, and incorporated potential uncertainty stemming from climate change, land use dynamics, and technological advancements. In addition, we constructed the solar energy supply curve for each province and calculated the economic potential. According to our results, approximately 78.6 % and 99.9 % of China's technical solar PV potential are priced lower than the benchmark price of coal-fired energy in pessimistic and optimistic scenario. These findings highlight the significant technical and economic potential of solar PV as a cost-effective alternative to coal-fired electricity to meet China's growing electricity demands.
The orientation of ice crystals plays a significant role in determining their radiative and precipitating effects; horizontally oriented ice crystals (HOICs) reflect up to ∼40 % more shortwave radiation back to space than randomly oriented ice crystals (ROICs). This study introduces an automatic range-resolved algorithm for HOIC identification using a combination of ground-based zenith-pointing and 15° off-zenith-pointing polarization lidars. The lidar observations provided high-resolution cloud-phase information. The data were collected in Beijing over 354 d in 2022. A case study from 13 October 2022 is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and the feasibility of the detection method. The synergy of lidars and collocated Ka-band cloud radar, radiosonde, and ERA5 data provides phenomenological insights into HOIC events. While cloud radar Doppler velocity data allowed the estimation of ice crystal size, Reynolds numbers, and turbulent eddy dissipation rates, corresponding environmental and radar-detected variables are also provided. HOICs were present, accompanied by weak horizontal wind of 0–20 m s−1 and relatively high temperature between −8 and −22 °C. Compared to the ROICs, HOICs exhibited larger reflectivity, larger spectral width, a larger turbulent eddy dissipation rate, and a median Doppler velocity of about 0.8 m s−1. Ice crystal diameters (1029 to 1756 µm for 5th and 95th percentiles) and Reynolds numbers (28 to 88 for 5th and 95th percentiles) are also estimated with the help of cloud radar Doppler velocity using an aerodynamic model. One interesting finding is that the previously found switch-off region of the specular reflection in the region of cloud base shows a higher turbulence eddy dissipation rate, probably caused by the latent heat released due to the sublimation of ice crystals in the cloud-base region. The newly derived properties of HOICs have the potential to aid the derivation of the likelihood of their occurrence in output from general circulation models (GCMs) of the atmosphere.