Lung image segmentation via generative adversarial networks.

Introduction: Lung image segmentation plays an important role in computer-aid pulmonary disease diagnosis and treatment. Methods: This paper explores the lung CT image segmentation method by generative adversarial networks. We employ a variety of generative adversarial networks and used their capability of image translation to perform image segmentation. The generative adversarial network is employed to translate the original lung image into the segmented image. Results: The generative adversarial networks-based segmentation method is tested on real lung image data set. Experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art method. Discussion: The generative adversarial networks-based method is effective for lung image segmentation.

Comprehensive assessment of the climatic and vegetation impacts of wind farms on grasslands: A case study in inner Mongolia, China.

Although wind power contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, it also has significant impacts on the local climate and vegetation. Exploring these impacts is important for the sustainable development of wind power. Therefore, based on moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) data and other remote sensing data from 2003 to 2022, this paper investigated the impacts of 101 grassland wind farms (WFs) in Inner Mongolia on land-atmosphere water and heat exchange, vegetation growth, ecosystem primary productivity, and vegetation structural characteristics during the growing season and revealed the spatial distribution patterns of the impacts of WFs as well as differences between different types of grasslands. The results indicated that WFs increased the nighttime land surface temperature (LST), decreased evapotranspiration (ET), inhibited vegetation growth, decreased gross primary productivity (GPP), and reduced the leaf area index (LAI) in growing season grasslands. This effect varied across different types of grasslands and showed significant complexity. In terms of land-atmosphere water and heat exchange, nighttime LST increases and ET decreases were significant in the typical steppe but not in the meadow steppe. In terms of vegetation change, meadow steppe had the most inhibited vegetation growth and the greatest reduction in GPP. In terms of the impact range, WFs on typical steppe and meadow steppe have opposite effects on vegetation growth and ecosystem primary productivity inside and outside of them, i.e., they inhibit vegetation growth and reduce GPP inside the WF areas but promote vegetation growth and increase GPP outside the WF areas. Compared with previous studies, this study analyzed multiple climate and vegetation indicators based on many WF samples, which reduced the uncertainty associated with a single sample and provided more comprehensive and comparable observations of different types of grasslands. These findings can help to balance the relationship between wind power development and ecological protection.

Leonurine: a comprehensive review of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and toxicology.

Leonurine is an alkaloid unique to the Leonurus genus, which has many biological activities, such as uterine contraction, anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, regulation of cell apoptosis, anti-tumor, angiogenesis, anti-platelet aggregation, and inhibition of vasoconstriction. This paper summarizes the extraction methods, synthetic pathways, biosynthetic mechanisms, pharmacokinetic properties, pharmacological effects in various diseases, toxicology, and clinical trials of leonurine. To facilitate a successful transition into clinical application, intensified efforts are required in several key areas: structural modifications of leonurine to optimize its properties, comprehensive pharmacokinetic assessments to understand its behavior within the body, thorough mechanistic studies to elucidate how it works at the molecular level, rigorous safety evaluations and toxicological investigations to ensure patient wellbeing, and meticulously conducted clinical trials to validate its efficacy and safety profile.

Melatonin alleviates UV-B stress and enhances phenolic biosynthesis in rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) callus.

Although used in in vitro culture to boost secondary metabolite production, UV-B radiation can seriously affect plant growth if not properly dosed. Rosemary callus can be used as an important source of effective ingredients in the food and medicine industry. To balance the positive and negative effects of UV-B on rosmary callus, this study investigated the effects of melatonin on rosemary callus under UV-B radiation. The results showed that melatonin improved rosemary callus growth, with fresh weight and dry weight increased by 15.81% and 8.30%, respectively. The addition of 100 µM melatonin increased antioxidant enzyme activity and NO content in rosemary callus. At the same time, melatonin also significantly reduced membrane lipid damage and H2O2 accumulation in rosemary callus under UV-B stress, with malondialdehyde (MDA) and H2O2 contents reduced by 13.03% and 14.55%, respectively. In addition, melatonin increased the total phenol and rosmarinic acid contents in rosemary callus by 19% and 54%, respectively. Melatonin significantly improved the antioxidant activity of the extracts from rosemary callus. These results suggest that exogenous melatonin can alleviate the adverse effects of UV-B stress on rosemary callus by promoting NO accumulation while further enhancing phenolic accumulation and biological activity.

Prenatal exposure to dibutyl phthalate contributes to erectile dysfunction in offspring male rats by activating the RhoA/ROCK signalling pathway.

Prenatal exposure to dibutyl phthalate (DBP) has been reported to cause erectile dysfunction (ED) in adult offspring rats. However, its underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Previously, we found that DBP activates the RhoA/ROCK pathway in the male reproductive system. This study investigated how prenatal exposure to DBP activates the RhoA/ROCK signalling pathway, leading to ED in male rat offspring. Pregnant rats were stratified into DBP-exposed and NC groups, with the exposed group receiving 750 milligrams per kilogram per day (mg/kg/day) of DBP through gavage from days 14-18 of gestation. DBP exposure activated the RhoA/ROCK pathway in the penile corpus cavernosum (CC) of descendants, causing smooth muscle cell contraction, fibrosis, and apoptosis, all of which contribute to ED. In vitro experiments confirmed that DBP induces apoptosis and RhoA/ROCK pathway activation in CC smooth muscle cells. Treatment of DBP-exposed offspring with the ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 for 8 weeks significantly improved smooth muscle cell condition, erectile function, and reduced fibrosis. Thus, prenatal DBP exposure induces ED in offspring through RhoA/ROCK pathway activation, and the ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 shows potential as an effective treatment for DBP-induced ED.

The Role of Therapists' Attachment and Introject in Their Treatment Process and Outcome: A Systematic Review.

Previous reviews have examined empirical evidence of the relationship between therapists' internalized relational models, including therapists' attachment styles and Sullivan's notion of introject, and the therapeutic relationship. This review expands upon previous reviews by examining the effect of therapists' internalized relational models on the treatment process (e.g., therapeutic alliance and countertransference) and treatment outcomes (e.g., symptoms and functioning) more broadly. Our systematic search identified 42 empirical studies measuring therapist's internalized relational models, defined as therapist attachment style (i.e., the way the therapist relates to others) and/or introject (i.e., the way the therapist relates to themselves), in relation to therapy process and outcome, including 35 studies on attachment, nine studies on introject and two that examined both constructs. A rigorous quality assessment was conducted; two studies were rated as 'moderate', and 40 were rated as 'weak' in quality. Based on the study findings, it appears that more securely attached therapists may have stronger working alliances and more positive therapeutic processes with their patients. Contrary to expectations, therapist attachment security does not appear to impact treatment outcomes. Therapists who relate to themselves in a more affirming way may have stronger working alliances and better treatment outcomes, but very few studies have addressed this question thus far. More rigorous research, especially on the effect of therapists' introject, is needed. Therapists may consider the potential impact of their internalized relational models on the working alliance and other treatment processes that influence therapeutic outcomes.

Brain Network Localization of Gray Matter Atrophy and Neurocognitive and Social Cognitive Dysfunction in Schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have established the presence of gray matter atrophy and brain activation abnormalities during neurocognitive and social cognitive tasks in schizophrenia. Despite a growing consensus that diseases localize better to distributed brain networks than individual anatomical regions, relatively few studies have examined brain network localization of gray matter atrophy and neurocognitive and social cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. METHODS: To address this gap, we initially identified brain locations of structural and functional abnormalities in schizophrenia from 301 published neuroimaging studies with 8712 individuals with schizophrenia and 9275 healthy control participants. By applying novel functional connectivity network mapping to large-scale resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging datasets, we mapped these affected brain locations to 3 brain abnormality networks of schizophrenia. RESULTS: The gray matter atrophy network of schizophrenia comprised a broadly distributed set of brain areas predominantly implicating the ventral attention, somatomotor, and default networks. The neurocognitive dysfunction network was also composed of widespread brain areas primarily involving the frontoparietal and default networks. By contrast, the social cognitive dysfunction network consisted of circumscribed brain regions mainly implicating the default, subcortical, and visual networks. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest shared and unique brain network substrates of gray matter atrophy and neurocognitive and social cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia, which may not only refine the understanding of disease neuropathology from a network perspective but may also contribute to more targeted and effective treatments for impairments in different cognitive domains in schizophrenia.

Integrating carbon quantum dots with oxygen vacancy modified nickel-based metal organic frameworks for photocatalytic CO2 reduction to CH4 with approximately 100 % selectivity.

Solar-light-driven reduction of CO2 into renewable fuels has great potential in the production of sustainable energy, addressing the energy crisis and environmental problems simultaneously. However, it is a significant challenge to achieve high selectivity for the conversion of CO2 into CH4, which is a type of fuel with a high calorific value. Herein, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were integrated with an oxygen vacancy modified nickel-based metal organic frameworks (NiMOFs) to form the CQDs-X/NiMOFV series, which exhibited superior performance for CO2 photoreduction into CH4 compared with pure NiMOFs in the presence of hole scavengers under visible light irradiation. The highest yielding rate of CH4 (1 mmol g-1 h-1) and selectivity (97.58 %) were obtained using a CQDs-25/NiMOFV catalyst. Most importantly, in diluted CO2 atmosphere, the yield of CH4 was almost unchanged and the selectivity of CH4 over CQDs-25/NiMOFV was higher than that in pure CO2. The superior performance of CQDs-25/NiMOFV may be attributed to the following two factors: (i) both CQDs and oxygen vacancies facilitate the transmission of electrons to promote the eight-electron reaction producing CH4, and (ii) oxygen vacancies can act as the electron trap to capture the photogenerated electrons to react with adsorbed CO2 on Ni2+. This study offers a valuable strategy for designing efficient photocatalysts to convert CO2 into CH4 with superior selectivity.

Nanosized Porphyrin-Containing Covalent Organic Polymer to Enhance Ferroptosis in Photodynamic Treatment of Tumor Cells via Glutathione Depletion.

A porphyrin-containing nanoscale covalent organic polymer (COP) was fabricated from 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP) and cystamine via an acylation reaction. On the one hand, TCPP can induce tumor cell death by laser irradiation. Due to the presence of disulfide bonds of cystamine which can react with glutathione, it exhibits depletion of glutathione and accumulation of peroxides in tumor cells. Ultimately by the hyaluronic acid to encapsulate the COP to get S-COP@HA, the nanoparticle with a size of 168.6 nm also exhibits good tumor accumulation and biosafety. Significant inhibition of tumor cell growth was observed after two consecutive doses of S-COP@HA at relatively low laser densities. This combination therapy was proved to reduce the level of reduced glutathione in tumor cells, where ferroptosis occurs after photodynamic treatment. Overall, this study presents a potent, good therapeutic option for the effective enhancement of photodynamic therapy by glutathione depletion.

The Effect of Inspiratory Muscle Training on Health-Related Fitness in College Students.

In an era characterized by rapid economic growth and evolving lifestyles, college students encounter numerous challenges, encompassing academic pressures and professional competition. The respiratory muscle endurance capability is important for college students during prolonged aerobic exercise. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore an effective intervention to enhance the endurance level of college students. This study explores the transformative potential of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) to improve the physical functions of college students. This research comprised a group of 20 participants who underwent IMT integrated into their daily physical education classes or regular training sessions over an 8-week period, with 18 participants forming the control group. The IMT group adhered to the manufacturer's instructions for utilizing the PowerBreathe device. The findings indicated a significant positive effect on inspiratory muscle strength (p < 0.001), showing improvements in pulmonary function, exercise tolerance, cardiac function, and overall athletic performance. These results revealed the substantial benefits of IMT in enhancing physical fitness and promoting health maintenance among college students.

Efficient Room-Temperature Phosphorescence in 2D Perovskite via Mixed Organic Cation Incorporation.

The achievement of RTP in hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HIOPs) via molecular engineering remains relatively uncommon. Here, a series of novel 2D HIOPs composed of mixed organic cations such as naphthalene methylamine (NMA) and 2-(4-methylphenyl) ethanamine (4MPEA) are reported. Efficient RTP and tunable emissions ranging from green to yellow to orange, depending on the doping ratio, are activated in the organic cation-mixed 2D HIOPs system. It has been certified that the triplet excitons of NMA primarily stem from the Wannier excitons of the inorganic layer through an energy transfer process. By gradually altering the halide composition from Br to Cl, the NMA substituted chlorine-based 2D HIOPs show an outstandingly long lifetime of 176 ms. Moreover, potential applications in multiple information encryption and displays have been demonstrated. Our study confirms the effectiveness of strategically hybridizing organic cations with inorganic matrices at the molecular level to achieve high performance RTP.

Anemoside B4 attenuates necrotic enteritis of laying hens induced by Clostridium perfringens via inhibiting NF-κB and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathways.

Poultry necrotic enteritis is an important enteric disease which might be controlled by antibiotics. However, with the excessive use of antibiotics, the phenomenon of drug resistance of Clostridium perfringens is becoming increasingly prominent. Anemoside B4 exhibits important anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects. This study was performed to estimate the effect of Anemoside B4 on chicken necrotic enteritis induced by C. perfringens in vivo and in vitro. In the in vivo experiment we investigated the efficacy of Anemoside B4 on the growth curve, biofilm formation, haemolytic activity, virulence-related gene expression and NF-κB and PI3K/AKT/mTOR activation in Caco-2 cells induced by C. perfringens. The results showed that 12.5-50 µg/mL Anemoside B4 had no antibacterial activity but could inhibit biofilm formation, attenuate haemolytic activity and virulence-related gene expression of C. perfringens and weaken NF-κB and PI3K/Akt/mTOR activation triggered by C. perfringens in Caco-2 cells. In the in vivo experiment, 60 17-day-old healthy White Leghorns were randomly divided into six groups. The growing laying hens of the control group were fed a basic diet, and those of the five challenged groups were fed a basic diet (infection group), added 0.43 g/kg Anemoside B4 (0.43 g/kg Ane group), 0.86 g/kg Anemoside B4 (0.86 g/kg Ane group), 1.72 g/kg Anemoside B4 (1.72 g/kg Ane group) and 40 mg/kg lincomycin (lincomycin group), respectively. All challenged laying hens were infected with 1 × 109 CFU C. perfringens from day 17-20. Blood and intestinal samples were obtained, and the data demonstrated that Anemoside B4 improved the blood biochemical parameters, attenuated jejunum tissue injury, increased the spleen, thymus, bursa of fabricius index, and decreased lesion scores of the jejunum and the ileum. In the jejunum, Anemoside B4 and lincomycin downregulated the expression of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and IFN-γ at mRNA levels. Moreover, Anemoside B4 significantly enhanced both mRNA and protein levels of tight junctions ZO-1, Claudin-1 and MUC-2 in the jejunum. Anemoside B4 weakened p-P65, p-PI3K, p-Akt and p-mTOR protein expression in the jejunum infected by C. perfringens. Diets supplemented with Anemoside B4 alleviated C. perfringens-induced necrotic enteritis in laying hens by inhibiting NF-κB and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathways and improving intestinal barrier functions.

The Epidemiological Characteristics and Spatiotemporal Clustering of Measles - China, 2005-2022.

Introduction: In recent years, the incidence of measles in China has consistently remained below 1 per 100,000 population, yet the disease has not been eliminated. This study aims to comprehensively analyze the epidemiological characteristics of measles from 2005 to 2022, identify high-risk populations and areas, and propose targeted interventions. Methods: We utilized data from the China Disease Prevention and Control Information System for our comprehensive analysis. Spatial autocorrelation was employed to examine the spatial clustering of measles, while spatiotemporal scanning analysis was used to detect spatiotemporal clustering to describe measles epidemiology during the study period. Results: Between 2005 and 2022, 732,218 measles cases were reported in China. Overall, the incidence of measles exhibited a downward trend, particularly during the periods of 2008-2011 and 2015-2022. In 2022, the incidence rate reached its historical low at 0.039 per 100,000 population. Measles predominantly affects young children. Since 2017, global spatial clustering has diminished, although hotspot areas persist in the western provinces. Spatial-temporal scanning identified a high-incidence cluster from 2005 to 2008, comprising 15 provinces in the western, central, and northern regions of China. Conversely, from 2016 to 2022, a low-incidence cluster was detected in the southern and central provinces. Conclusions: China has made significant progress in measles prevention and control. The recent low incidence and absence of substantial spatiotemporal clustering indicate that China is nearing measles elimination. However, there is a continuing need to enhance prevention and control efforts among very young children and in historic incidence hotspots in western provinces. Additionally, improving the diagnosis of vaccine-associated rash illnesses is essential.

Lightening flavin by amination for fluorescent sensing.

Monitoring of reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as O2˙-, etc., in organisms is of great significance, not only for their essential role in biological processes, but their excessive production may also result in many diseases. Flavin (FL) is a fluorophore that naturally exists in flavoenzymes, and its fluorescent emission (FE) becomes negligible when reduced. This enables the application of FL derivatives as fluorescent sensors for ROS. We presented a theoretical investigation to address the impact of amino substitution on the photophysical properties of aminoflavins (AmFLs). Resulting from the interplay of electronic and positional effects, amination at C8 enhances the electronic coupling between the ground state and the first singlet excited state by enlarging the adiabatic energy change of the electronic transitions and the emission transition dipole moments, weakens the vibronic coupling by decreasing the contribution of isoalloxazine to the frontier molecular orbitals, redshifts the absorption band, and enhances the fluorescent emission drastically in 8AmFL. The theoretically estimated fluorescent emission intensity of 8AmFL is ∼40 times that of FL, suggesting its potential application as a fluorescent sensor.

Full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing reveals the operating mode and chlorination-aggravated SWRO biofouling at a nuclear power plant.

Reverse osmosis (RO) membrane fouling and biological contamination problems faced by seawater desalination systems are microbiologically related. We used full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing to assess the bacterial community structure and chlorine-resistant bacteria (CRB) associated with biofilm growth in different treatment processes under the winter mode of a chlorinated seawater desalination system in China. At the outset of the winter mode, certain CRB, such as Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Bacillus held sway over the bacterial community structure, playing a pivotal role in biofouling. At the mode's end, Deinococcus and Paracoccus predominated, with Pseudomonas and Roseovarius following suit, while certain CRB genera still maintained their dominance. RO and chlorination are pivotal factors in shaping the bacterial community structure and diversity, and increases in total heterotrophic bacterial counts and community diversity in safety filters may adversely affect the effectiveness of subsequent RO systems. Besides, the bacterial diversity and culturable biomass in the water produced by the RO system remain high, and some conditionally pathogenic CRBs pose a certain microbial risk as a source of drinking water. Targeted removal of these CRBs will be an important area of research for advancing control over membrane clogging and ensuring water quality safety in the future.

Interfacial Crosslinking for Efficient and Stable Planar TiO2 Perovskite Solar Cells.

The buried interface between the electron transport layer (ETL) and the perovskite layer plays a crucial role in enhancing the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability of n-i-p type perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this study, the interface between the chemical bath deposited (CBD) titanium oxide (TiO2) ETL and the perovskite layer using multi-functional potassium trifluoromethyl sulfonate (SK) is modified. Structural and elemental analyses reveal that the trifluoromethyl sulfonate serves as a crosslinker between the TiO2 and the perovskite layer, thus improving the adhesion of the perovskite to the TiO2 ETL through strong bonding of the ─CF3 and ─SO3 - terminal groups. Furthermore, the multi-functional modifiers reduced interface defects and suppressed carrier recombination in the PSCs. Consequently, devices with a champion PCE of 25.22% and a fill factor (FF) close to 85% is achieved, marking the highest PCE and FF observed for PSCs based on CBD TiO2. The unencapsulated device maintained 81.3% of its initial PCE after operating for 1000 h.

Case report and literature review: Laparoscopic extended right hemicolectomy for a 55-year-old patient with idiopathic mesenteric phlebosclerosis.

Idiopathic mesenteric phlebosclerosis (IMP) is an extremely rare disease with an unclear pathogenesis and risk factors. The clinical manifestations of IMP are mostly non-specific, mainly consisting of digestive symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea. The diagnosis of IMP mainly relies on abdominal computed tomography (CT) and colonoscopy. Pathological changes associated with IMP often involve fibrous degeneration of the venous wall, which results in the thickening of the colonic wall and longitudinal calcification of the mesenteric arteries. Currently, there is no standard treatment protocol for IMP, and nonsurgical treatment is the mainstay of most medical centers. In this study, we reported a case of a 55-year-old female patient with IMP whose main clinical presentation was recurrent abdominal pain. The patient's initial diagnosis was considered an incomplete intestinal obstruction and received non-surgical treatments; however, the efficacy of the treatment was unsatisfactory. After completing abdominal CT and colonoscopy, we excluded common diseases of the digestive system (e.g., tumors, Crohn's disease), and finally considered that this patient had a high likelihood of IMP. This patient eventually underwent laparoscopic enlarged right hemicolectomy due to recurrent symptoms and poor outcomes of non-surgical treatment. Postoperative pathological results confirmed the diagnosis of IMP. During the follow-up period, the patient recovered well without recurrence of IMP. Furthermore, we have reviewed the literature related to IMP and summarized the etiology, risk factors, diagnostic methods, treatment options and prognosis of IMP.

Baicalin and probenecid protect against Glaesserella parasuis challenge in a piglet model.

Glaesserella parasuis (G. parasuis) induces vascular damage and systemic inflammation. However, the mechanism by which it causes vascular damage is currently unclear. Baicalin has important anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and immunomodulatory functions. In this study, we explored the ability of baicalin and probenecid to protect against G. parasuis challenge in a piglet model. Sixty piglets were randomly divided into a control group; an infection group; a probenecid group; and 25 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg baicalin groups. The probenecid group and the 25 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg baicalin groups were injected intramuscularly with 20 mg/kg body weight (BW) probenecid and 25 mg/kg BW, 50 mg/kg BW and 100 mg/kg BW baicalin, respectively. All piglets except those from the control group were injected intraperitoneally with 1 × 108 CFU of G. parasuis. The control group was injected intraperitoneally with TSB. The results showed baicalin and probenecid protected piglets against G. parasuis challenge, improved body weight and decreased temperature changes in piglets. Baicalin and probenecid attenuated IL-1ß, IL-10, IL-18, TNF-α and IFN-γ mRNA levels in the blood for 48 h, inhibited the production of the nucleosides ATP, ADP, AMP and UMP from 24 to 72 h, reduced Panx-1/P2Y6/P2X7 expression, weakened NF-kB, AP-1, NLRP3/Caspase-1 and ROCK/MLCK/MLC signalling activation, and upregulated VE-cadherin expression in the blood vessels of piglets challenged with G. parasuis. Baicalin and probenecid alleviated pathological tissue damage in piglets induced by G. parasuis. Our results might provide a promising strategy to control and treat G. parasuis infection in the clinical setting.

To explore the effectiveness of various ecological security pattern construction methods in many growth situations in the future: A case study of the West Liaohe River Basin in Inner Mongolia.

The Ecological Security Pattern (ESP) has emerged as a prominent area of focus in global ecosystem research, offering valuable scientific insights for reconciling ecological preservation with economic progress. Understanding the differences among different approaches to constructing ESP serves as a fundamental step in ensuring its efficacy. However, there has been a scarcity of studies that quantitatively assess the disparities in the effectiveness of various ESP construction methods. This study focuses on the West Liaohe River Basin as its research subject. Leveraging remote sensing data alongside county-level statistical information, the study employs three distinct ecological source identification methodologies to establish ESP frameworks. Subsequently, it analyzes the discrepancies in ecological protection outcomes across different ESP construction methods under varying future development scenarios. The findings reveal that the ESP centered around ecosystem services emerges as particularly suited for diverse development scenarios, consistently yielding optimal ecological protection outcomes. Our research not only furnishes a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for ESP development in the West Liaohe River Basin but also offers methodological insights transferrable to other regions.

Active interface bulging in Bacillus subtilis swarms promotes self-assembly and biofilm formation.

Microbial communities such as biofilms are commonly found at interfaces. However, it is unclear how the physical environment of interfaces may contribute to the development and behavior of surface-associated microbial communities. Combining multimode imaging, single-cell tracking, and numerical simulations, here, we found that activity-induced interface bulging promotes colony biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis swarms presumably via segregation and enrichment of sessile cells in the bulging area. Specifically, the diffusivity of passive particles is ~50% lower inside the bulging area than elsewhere, which enables a diffusion-trapping mechanism for self-assembly and may account for the enrichment of sessile cells. We also uncovered a quasilinear relation between cell speed and surface-packing density that underlies the process of active interface bulging. Guided by the speed-density relation, we demonstrated reversible formation of liquid bulges by manipulating the speed and local density of cells with light. Over the course of development, the active bulges turned into striped biofilm structures, which eventually give rise to a large-scale ridge pattern. Our findings reveal a unique physical mechanism of biofilm formation at air-solid interface, which is pertinent to engineering living materials and directed self-assembly in active fluids.