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Background: As a medicinal and food homologous plant, Rosa damascena is not only highly ornamental, but also rich in a variety of active ingredients such as polyphenols and flavonoids. It is widely used in cosmetics, food and pharmaceutical industries. Objective: To study the in vitro efficacy of Rosa damascena solid state fermentation liquid (RDF) and water extract (RDE). Methods: Firstly, the effect of RDF and RDE on the proliferation rate of B16F10 cells was detected by CCK‐8 method, and the melanin content was measured by sodium hydroxide lysis method to evaluate the whitening effect of them. Finally, the antioxidant, anti‐wrinkling and soothing effects of RDF and RDE were evaluated by biochemical methods in vitro. Results: RDF and RDE within a certain concentration range (0.05%–0.5%) had no effect on the proliferation of B16F10 cells. Compared with Rosa damascena extract (RDE), RDF showed significant effects on bleaching, antioxidant, anti‐wrinkling and soothing, among which 0.5% RDF showed the best effect. Conclusion: Both RDF and RDE at a certain concentration have effect on skin care in vitro, but the effect of RDF is more significant than that of RDE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing studies have examined unhealthy food packaging information, mainly focusing on aspects such as the content, color, and text, whilst paying less attention to the boundaries of information. This paper investigates unhealthy foods through three experiments, revealing that the presence (vs. absence) of packaging information boundaries on unhealthy foods has a negative impact on consumers' purchasing intentions (p = 0.040) (Experiment 1). The feeling of constraint mediates this effect (β = −0.078, CI: [−0.1911, −0.0111]) (Experiment 2). Additionally, consumers with an independent self-construal exhibit reduced purchasing intentions when unhealthy food packaging information boundaries are present (vs. absent) (p < 0.001), whereas those with an interdependent self-construal show increased purchasing intentions under the same conditions (p = 0.024) (Experiment 3). This paper reveals the psychological mechanism and boundary conditions of unhealthy food packaging information boundaries affecting consumers' purchasing intention and provides practical inspiration for government policy-making related to unhealthy food packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of emission-tunable NaLuF4:RE3+ (RE = Dy, Tb, Eu, Tm) phosphors were firstly synthesized by a glycine assisted one-step hydrothermal process. The structure and morphology were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results revealed that the samples were Na5Lu9F32, LuF3 and NaLuF4 and the size and shape of the products could be tuned just by adjusting the pH values of the initial reaction solutions or by adjusting the RE3+/NaF ratio or RE3+/NaBF4 ratio. The morphologies for the products include irregular particles, irregular blocks, octahedral shapes, hexagons, or micron sized hexagonal prisms. Furthermore, the photoluminescence properties of NaLuF4:Dy3+,Tb3+, NaLuF4:Tb3+,Eu3+, NaLuF4:Dy3+,Eu3+ and NaLuF4:Tm3+,Dy3+ were investigated in detail. Additionally, when co-doping Dy3+ with Tb3+ or Eu3+ or co-doping Tb3+with Eu3+ or co-doping Tm3+ with Dy3+ ions in the single component, colorful emission can be obtained by giving abundant blue, green, yellow, orange, and especially white-light-emission. All these properties indicate that the developed phosphor may potentially be used as single-component multicolor-emitting phosphors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We theoretically investigate the tunability of magnomechanically induced transparency (MMIT) phenomenon and slow–fast light propagation in a hybrid cavity magnomechanical system which consists of two ferromagnetic-material yttrium iron garnet (YIG) spheres and a nitrogen-vacancy center ensemble (NVE) inside a microwave cavity. We not only observed two magnetically induced transparencies (MITs), but also MMIT due to the nonlinear phonon–magnon interaction in the probe output spectrum. We studied the effect of NVE in the output field which showed that we can obtain better transparency by selecting the appropriate NVE parameters. Besides, we set up a new scheme for measuring the coupling strength of NVE-magnon. We further explored the slow–fast light conversion phenomenon and found that it can be achieved by changing the coupling strength of NVE-magnon. The results may be of some guidance in enhancing MMIT, which has potential applications in fields of high-precision measurement and quantum information networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The on-demand food delivery platform assigns orders from customers to independent couriers, known as agents. An agent's decision to provide services depends on the wage and the order assignment. The platform can adjust the actual supply and demand through two-sided pricing, such that an equilibrium between customers and agents that maximizes the platform's profit can be formed. We develop a stylized model to investigate the optimal price and wage of a platform facing delay-sensitive customers and income-sensitive agents. We find three possibilities for participatory equilibrium in the platform as the pair of wage and price changes. Meanwhile, all participatory equilibrium regions have two asymptotically stable equilibria, one of which is a nonparticipatory equilibrium. The platform can form a participatory equilibrium only when it attracts enough customers and agents in the initial phase. Our analysis shows that the optimal pricing strategy and the maximum revenue for a platform depend on the valuation and delay sensitivity of the target customers. Furthermore, contradicting the intuition, our results show that the optimal wage is non-increasing in the total demand rate and that the optimal price is non-decreasing in the service capacity of the platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

STUDY QUESTION Can generative artificial intelligence (AI) models produce high-fidelity images of human blastocysts? SUMMARY ANSWER Generative AI models exhibit the capability to generate high-fidelity human blastocyst images, thereby providing substantial training datasets crucial for the development of robust AI models. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The integration of AI into IVF procedures holds the potential to enhance objectivity and automate embryo selection for transfer. However, the effectiveness of AI is limited by data scarcity and ethical concerns related to patient data privacy. Generative adversarial networks (GAN) have emerged as a promising approach to alleviate data limitations by generating synthetic data that closely approximate real images. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Blastocyst images were included as training data from a public dataset of time-lapse microscopy (TLM) videos (n = 136). A style-based GAN was fine-tuned as the generative model. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS We curated a total of 972 blastocyst images as training data, where frames were captured within the time window of 110–120 h post-insemination at 1-h intervals from TLM videos. We configured the style-based GAN model with data augmentation (AUG) and pretrained weights (Pretrained-T: with translation equivariance; Pretrained-R: with translation and rotation equivariance) to compare their optimization on image synthesis. We then applied quantitative metrics including Fréchet Inception Distance (FID) and Kernel Inception Distance (KID) to assess the quality and fidelity of the generated images. Subsequently, we evaluated qualitative performance by measuring the intelligence behavior of the model through the visual Turing test. To this end, 60 individuals with diverse backgrounds and expertise in clinical embryology and IVF evaluated the quality of synthetic embryo images. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE During the training process, we observed consistent improvement of image quality that was measured by FID and KID scores. Pretrained and AUG + Pretrained initiated with remarkably lower FID and KID values compared to both Baseline and AUG + Baseline models. Following 5000 training iterations, the AUG + Pretrained-R model showed the highest performance of the evaluated five configurations with FID and KID scores of 15.2 and 0.004, respectively. Subsequently, we carried out the visual Turing test, such that IVF embryologists, IVF laboratory technicians, and non-experts evaluated the synthetic blastocyst-stage embryo images and obtained similar performance in specificity with marginal differences in accuracy and sensitivity. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION In this study, we primarily focused the training data on blastocyst images as IVF embryos are primarily assessed in blastocyst stage. However, generation of an array of images in different preimplantation stages offers further insights into the development of preimplantation embryos and IVF success. In addition, we resized training images to a resolution of 256 × 256 pixels to moderate the computational costs of training the style-based GAN models. Further research is needed to involve a more extensive and diverse dataset from the formation of the zygote to the blastocyst stage, e.g. video generation, and the use of improved image resolution to facilitate the development of comprehensive AI algorithms and to produce higher-quality images. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Generative AI models hold promising potential in generating high-fidelity human blastocyst images, which allows the development of robust AI models as it can provide sufficient training datasets while safeguarding patient data privacy. Additionally, this may help to produce sufficient embryo imaging training data with different (rare) abnormal features, such as embryonic arrest, tripolar cell division to avoid class imbalances and reach to even datasets. Thus, generative models may offer a compelling opportunity to transform embryo selection procedures and substantially enhance IVF outcomes. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This study was supported by a Horizon 2020 innovation grant (ERIN, grant no. EU952516) and a Horizon Europe grant (NESTOR, grant no. 101120075) of the European Commission to A.S. and M.Z.E. the Estonian Research Council (grant no. PRG1076) to A.S. and the EVA (Erfelijkheid Voortplanting & Aanleg) specialty program (grant no. KP111513) of Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+) to M.Z.E. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Not applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a feasibility determination problem via simulation with stochastic binary outcomes, in which the design space can be either discrete or continuous, and outcomes can be predicted through a functional relationship that depends on linear combinations of design variables. The goal is to identify all the feasible designs with means (i.e., probabilities) no smaller than a threshold. A logistic model is used to capture the relationship between the probability and design variables. Traditional binary rewards often conceal the numbers of correct and false determinations, thereby being inefficient in large and continuous design spaces. We thus propose a similarity measure to smooth binary rewards. Then, a sampling policy that optimizes a so-called Similarity Differential (SD) is developed. Under some mild conditions, we show that the SD policy is capable of identifying all the feasible designs as the sampling budget goes to infinity. Two approximate versions of the SD policy are developed to sequentially determine the sampling decisions in large and continuous design spaces. Extensive numerical experiments are conducted to demonstrate the superior performance of our SD policy, document computational savings, and reveal underlying sampling behaviors. Alternatively, we provide a simple but effective heuristic that can be easily used by practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving customer satisfaction is the key factor in enhancing the core competitiveness of hotels, as higher customer satisfaction can lead to long-term benefits such as a positive reputation, customer loyalty, and sustained profitability. Multi-source user-generated content (UGC) can provide high-quality and sufficient information for improving customer satisfaction; however, related research is limited. Therefore, a method considering multi-source UGC to improve customer satisfaction is proposed in this paper. First, the service attributes of the hotels that customers care about are obtained from multi-source UGC. Then, evaluation information is obtained by processing multi-source UGC based on the heuristic-systematic model, and the credibility of the evaluation information is measured. Furthermore, evaluation information is combined based on evidence theory to estimate the importance and performance of hotel service attributes. Finally, impact asymmetry-gap analysis (IAGA) is proposed to generate customer satisfaction improvement strategies for different attributes. The application of the method is illustrated using data from actual hotels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite altered brain activities being associated with suicidal ideation (SI), the neural correlates of SI in major depressive disorder (MDD) have remained elusive. We enrolled 82 first‐episode drug‐naïve MDD patients including 41 with SI and 41 without SI, as well as 41 healthy controls (HCs). Resting‐state functional and structural MRI data were collected. The measures of fractional amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and grey matter volume (GMV) were calculated and compared. Compared with HCs, patients with SI exhibited increased fALFF values in the right rectus gyrus and left medial superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus and precuneus. Decreased GMV in the right parahippocampal gyrus, insula and middle occipital gyrus and increased GMV in the left superior frontal gyrus were detected in patients with SI. In addition, patients without SI demonstrated increased fALFF values in the right superior frontal gyrus and decreased fALFF values in the right postcentral gyrus. Decreased GMV in the left superior frontal gyrus, right medial superior frontal gyrus, opercular part of inferior frontal gyrus, postcentral gyrus, fusiform gyrus and increased left supplementary motor area, superior occipital gyrus, right anterior cingulate gyrus and superior temporal gyrus were revealed in patients with SI. Moreover, in comparison with patients without SI, increased fALFF values were identified in the left precuneus of patients with SI. However, no significant differences were found in GMV between patients with and without SI. These findings might be helpful for finding neuroimaging markers predicting individual suicide risk and detecting targeted brain regions for effective early interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies a dynamic principal–agent setting in which the principal needs to dynamically schedule an agent to work or be suspended. When the agent is directed to work and exert effort, the arrival rate of a Poisson process is increased, which increases the principal's payoff. Suspension, on the other hand, serves as a threat to the agent by delaying future payments. A key feature of our setting is a switching cost whenever the suspension stops and the work starts again. We formulate the problem as an optimal control model with switching and fully characterize the optimal control policies/contract structures under different parameter settings. Our analysis shows that, when the switching cost is not too high, the optimal contract demonstrates a generalized control-band structure. The length of each suspension episode, on the other hand, is fixed. Overall, the optimal contract is easy to describe, compute, and implement. This paper was accepted by Ilia Tsetlin, behavioral economics and decision analysis. Funding: The work of P. Cao is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grants 72122019 and 71771202]. The work of F. Tian is financially supported by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) funding (RGC Early Career Scheme 2022/23) [Grant 27500822]. Supplemental Material: The e-companion and data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4845. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Condyloma acuminatum (CA) is a prevalent sexually transmitted disease caused by low‐risk human papillomavirus infection, characterized by high transmission and recurrence rates. Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial role in regulating gene transcription and are involved in various biological processes. Although recent studies have demonstrated the involvement of lncRNAs in cervical cancer, their expression profile and function in CA remain poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to identify messenger RNA (mRNA) and lncRNA expression patterns in CA using high‐throughput lncRNA sequencing. We found that 3033 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 1090 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) were significantly altered in CA compared to healthy controls. The results from quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical staining are in accordance with the observed trends in the sequencing data. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that upregulated DEGs in CA were involved in biological processes such as virus response, immune response, cell cycle regulation, the tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, and the P53 signaling pathway. Co‐expression network analysis identified potential target genes of DELs, with enrichment in biological processes such as cell differentiation, the intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway, and pathways such as virus infection, pathways in cancer, T helper 17 cell differentiation, the mitogen‐activated protein kinase signaling pathway, and the Wnt signaling pathway. Collectively, our findings indicate significant changes in the transcriptome profile, including mRNAs and lncRNAs, in CA compared to healthy controls. Our study provides new insights into the potential functions of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of CA and identifies potential therapeutic targets for this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This retrospective study aimed to analyze the treatment effect and prognostic factors of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with t(8;21). A total of 268 newly diagnosed pediatric AML (pAML) enrolled from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2022 were retrospectively reviewed, and 50 (18.7%) patients harbored t(8;21) translocation. CR rate, OS, EFS, and RFS were assessed by multivariate Logistic and Cox regression models in these patients. Of the 50 patients, 2 patients abandoned treatment during the first induction course. Of the remaining 48 patients who received double-induction therapy and were included in the final analyses, CR1 and CR2 were 75.0% (36/48) and 95.8% (46/48), respectively. The overall three-year OS, EFS, and RFS were 68.4% (95% CI, 55.0–85.1), 64.2% (95% CI, 50.7–81.4), and 65.5% (95% CI, 51.9–82.8), respectively. The presence of loss of sex chromosome (LOS) at diagnosis (n = 21) was associated with a better 3-year OS [87.5% (95% CI, 72.7–100) vs. 52.7% (95% CI, 35.1–79.3), p = 0.0089], 3-year EFS [81.6% (95% CI, 64.7–100) vs. 49.7% (95% CI, 32.4–76.4), p = 0.023], and 3-year RFS [81.6% (95% CI, 64.7–100) vs. 51.7% (95% CI, 33.9–78.9), p = 0.036] than those without LOS (n = 27), and it was also an independent good prognostic factor of OS (HR, 0.08 [95% CI, 0.01–0.48], p = 0.005), EFS (HR, 0.22 [95% CI, 0.05–0.85], p = 0.029), and RFS (HR, 0.21 [95% CI, 0.05–0.90], p = 0.035). However, extramedullary leukemia (EML) featured the independent risk factors of inferior OS (HR, 10.99 [95% CI, 2.08–58.12], p = 0.005), EFS (HR, 4.75 [95% CI, 1.10–20.61], p = 0.037), and RFS (HR, 6.55 [95% CI, 1.40–30.63], p = 0.017) in pediatric individuals with t(8;21) AML. Further analysis of combining LOS with EML indicated that the EML+LOS− subgroup had significantly inferior OS (92.9%, [95% CI, 80.3–100]), EFS (86.2%, [95% CI, 70.0–100]), and RFS (86.2%, [95% CI, 80.3–100]) compared to the other three subgroups (all p < 0.001). LOS and EML are independent prognostic factors of OS, EFS, and RFS with t(8;21) pAML patients. LOS combined with EML may help improve risk stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, Paeonia lactiflora Pall is rich in various active ingredients such as polysaccharides and total flavonoids while having ornamental value. It has potential application value in the development of food and cosmetics. Objective: To study the in vitro efficacy of Paeonia lactiflora Pall seeds oil. Methods: Firstly, the levels of linolenic acid and linoleic acid in Paeonia lactiflora Pall seeds oil were quantified using gas chromatography. The impact of Paeonia lactiflora Pall seeds oil on the proliferation rate of B16F10 cells was assessed through the CCK‐8 method, while the melanin content of B16F10 cells was determined using the sodium hydroxide lysis method. The inhibitory effects of Paeonia lactiflora Pall seeds oil on elastase, collagenase and hyaluronidase were evaluated by biochemical techniques in vitro. Lastly, the hen's egg chorioallantoic membrane test (HET‐CAM) was conducted to confirm the absence of eye irritation caused by Paeonia lactiflora Pall seeds oil. Results: Paeonia lactiflora Pall seeds oil within a certain volume concentration range (0.5%–4%) had no effect on the proliferation of B16F10 cells. Paeonia lactiflora Pall seeds oil showed significant inhibition of elastase, collagenase and hyaluronidase. Notably, the highest concentration tested, 4% Paeonia lactiflora Pall seed oil, yielded the most pronounced outcomes without causing any irritation. Conclusion: A certain concentration of Paeonia lactiflora Pall seeds oil has a significant effect on decreasing the melanin content in B16F10 cells and inhibiting the activities of elastase, collagenase, and hyaluronidase, which can provide a reference for the development of pure natural cosmetics raw materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to address the issue of hole collapse, which frequently arises when boring piles are being constructed in intricate marine strata, this paper discusses the influence of the slurry ratio on the slurry performance as well as the mechanism of slurry wall protection. It performs this by means of theoretical analysis, laboratory ratio testing, engineering analogies, numerical simulation, and field testing. Our findings demonstrate that adding sodium polyacrylate and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose can enhance mud's viscosity, contribute to flocculation, and improve the connection between mud and soil layers. Refering similar engineering cases, three optimization schemes are proposed for achieving a mud ratio that offers wall protection in complex marine strata. Furthermore, the particle flow model of slurry viscous fluid is established. The collapse of holes in the sand layer is reflected in the uneven radial displacement of hole walls and the invasion of mud particles. Increasing the viscosity of mud gradually transforms the uneven radial deformation of pore walls in the sand layer into a uniform radial deformation, whereas increasing the proportion of mud significantly decreases the radial displacement of hole walls. Additionally, when the mud pressure in the hole is 300 kPa and 600 kPa, the wall protection effect is better, and there is no particle penetration by substances such as sand. It is found that a high mud pressure can promote the diffusion of mud particles into the sand layer, while low mud pressure cannot balance the pressure on deep soil. The results of the field tests show that the ratio of water–clay–bentonite–CMC-Na–sodium carbonate = 700:110:90:1.5:0.5 used (where the mass percentage of each material is 77.8% water, 12.2% clay, 10% bentonite, 0.16% CMC-Na, and 0.05% sodium carbonate) can effectively prevent hole collapse and reduce the thickness of the sand layer at the bottom of the hole by 50%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible wearable electronic skin (e-skin) has great potential in health monitoring, human–computer interaction, and other fields. However, traditional devices are often unable to maintain high sensitivity while achieving a wide detection range. In this work, inspired by biomimicry, we proposed a design based on mimosa flowers and developed a composite pressure sensing device (reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/NiMoO4@CMF). The strain layer of the sensor undergoes hydrothermal growth, allowing nickel molybdate (NiMoO4) to grow in situ on the surface of the carbon melamine foam (CMF). This enhances the substrate morphology, and rGO is then applied to increase the electrical conductivity. The devices prepared by this method have sensitivities of 19.3, 12.5, and 8.1 kPa–1 in the ranges of 0–12, 12–29, and 29–40 kPa, respectively. In addition, the sensor demonstrates a low detection limit (10 Pa), a fast response (160 ms), and a cycle retention rate of 86% after 5000 cycles. Based on these characteristics, the flexible sensor can detect strong human body movements in real time, such as finger bending, elbow movement, and knee bending. The study shows that this pressure sensor has broad application prospects in health monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron–chromium–aluminium (FeCrAl) alloy compositions should be optimised to improve performance. The effects of Nb and Mo on the high-temperature steam oxidation of FeCrAl alloys were investigated at 1200 °C. The oxide film of a series of alloys with different Nb contents mainly comprised Al2O3 and the surface morphology was wrinkled. For the series alloys with different Mo contents, when Mo was greater than 2 wt.%, the oxide film component also contained MoO3, in addition to Al2O3, with the presence of micropores. The oxidation weight gain decreased with Nb, owing to a great many Laves phases, which impeded the outward diffusion of Al. The oxidation weight gain increased with Mo, and this was attributed to the volatilisation of MoO3, which promoted the diffusion of oxygen. The yield strength of FeCrAl alloys increased with increased Nb and Mo and decreased with oxidation time. Nb and Mo promoted the precipitation of the Laves phases and increased the hindrance to grain boundaries, which favoured fine grain strengthening. This was critical to obtaining FeCrAl fuel cladding alloys with great steam oxidation resistance and mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The newly built back-streaming white neutron beam line (Back-n) at China spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) makes a breakthrough for China's domestic nuclear data measurement, which is pushing nuclear data measurement in China towards higher precision and wider energy range. The neutron flux of the facility was measured at the first beginning since it is an extremely important characterization for the experiment proposal and data analysis. The neutron fluxes under big collimators in end station 1 (ES#1) and end station 2 (ES#2) had been characterized by a fission chamber. In this paper, the first measurement of the neutron flux of Back-n ES#1 with small collimators is reported. The neutron flux from 0.5 eV to 300 MeV was measured by three detectors: a silicon monitor based on a 6LiF sample for the energy range below 200 keV, a fast multi-layer fission ionization chamber for the range from 10 keV to 300 MeV, and a proton recoil telescope for the high energy region from 10 to 70 MeV. The flux and its uncertainty with 50 bins per decade were finally evaluated by combining the data of the three detectors. The integrated flux in the full energy range at CSNS beam power of 100 kW is 1.642 × 106 n/cm2/s, which is consistent with the FLUKA simulation within a difference of about 4%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the development and evolution, quality improvement and research progress in the rapidly emerging area of new detection technologies of special foods for use in space and to some extent aviation. The quality improvement aspects covered in this review ranged from the special food processing technology, sterilization treatment and product packaging to new detection technologies for quality assurance based on DNA microarray technology, sensor, imaging technology, carbon nanotubes and novel probe technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increasing amounts of ultraviolet radiation occur as ozone depletion causes the earth's ozone layer to be destroyed, making antioxidant efficacy a research hotspot. Previous studies on plum blossom have mostly focused on Volatile Oils, Flavonoids, Phenylpropanoids, and other compounds, whereas few studies have focused on low molecular weight polypeptide (LMWP) of plum blossom. This research provides a reference for the deep processing and utilization of plum blossom. Objectives: (a) Plum blossom low molecular weight polypeptides protect HaCaT cells against UVB‐induced oxidative damage in vitro and the underlying mechanism. (b) Improve the theoretical basis for the intense processing and utilization of plum blossom. Methods: The safe concentration of LMWP and the survival rate of HaCaT cells were determined using the CCK‐8 experiment. The fluorescence intensity of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was identified using the dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH‐DA) method; Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were measured in ruptured cells; Western blot analysis was used to examine the expression levels of three proteins: nuclear factor E2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase 1 (HO‐1), and benzoquinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO‐1). Results: It was noted that a certain concentration of LMWP could promote cell proliferation. In oxidatively damaged HaCaT cells, SOD levels and survival rates were markedly reduced, but ROS and MDA levels were elevated. However, after treatment with LMWP, the survival rate of the cells and SOD levels were markedly increased, and the levels of ROS and MDA were markedly decreased. As shown by Western blotting, the model group exhibited lower levels of Nrf2, HO‐1, and NQO‐1 expression than the control group, whereas LMWP‐treated cells had significantly higher levels of Nrf2, HO‐1, and NQO‐1 expression than their model‐treated counterparts. Conclusions: LMMP can effectively protect HaCaT cells against oxidative damage in vitro induced by UVB, and the underlying mechanism is linked to the activation of the transcription factor Nrf2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In large group decision-making, participators with different knowledge structures, backgrounds, and other characteristics are unlikely to accurately evaluate alternatives. For this, it is necessary to decompose alternatives into several elements, and consider the participators' preferences for elements of alternatives and the multiple classifications for participators according to their characteristics. However, related studies are still scarce. The objective of this paper is to propose a multi-elemental large group decision-making method, in which the desirable alternative(s) are selected from a set of feasible alternatives according to the preference information on multiple elements of alternatives provided by participators from multiple subgroups, and multiple classifications for participators are considered. In the method, according to the strict preference ordering of elements provided by participators, the percentage distributions on preferences of each subgroup concerning each element are firstly presented under each classification for participators. Secondly, the decision weight of each subgroup is determined by three factors, i.e., the consensus of preferences provided by each subgroup, the organizer's preference for each subgroup, and the number of participators in each subgroup. Then, the comprehensive preference concerning each element is determined by combing the preference information from multiple subgroups and the decision weights of multiple subgroups, the overall preference vector can be obtained under each classification, and the virtual alternatives are determined by normalizing the overall preference vector. Further, considering multiple classifications for participators, the overall dominant degrees of alternatives can be obtained by calculating the similarity degrees between each virtual alternative and each alternative, thus the ranking order of alternatives can be obtained based on the overall dominant degrees of alternatives. Finally, an example is given to confirm the feasibility of the proposed method. The results of the sensitivity and comparative analyses show that the proposed method is applicable and effective. The proposed method can further enrich and improve the theory and approach of large group decision-making with multiple elements considering multiple classifications for participators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the cold regions of China, the existing rural houses are widely distributed and in large numbers. There are widespread problems such as low thermal performance of building envelopes, high building energy consumption, and poor indoor thermal environments. Reducing the energy consumption of building heating by reforming the envelope structure can reduce the environmental pollution caused by heating. In this paper, the existing rural houses in Tongchuan City, Shaanxi Province are taken as the research object, and EnergyPlus software is used to calculate building heating energy consumption, and the schemes are compared and selected via the entropy value method. Based on a comprehensive benefit evaluation, the best scheme for the renovation of building envelopes of rural houses in Tongchuan City is put forward. The research results show that the energy saving rate of buildings can reach more than 50% after renovation. In the evaluation of energy saving, incremental cost, return on investment, carbon emission reduction and unguaranteed hours, the weights are 0.1915, 0.2104, 0.2312, 1755, and 0.187, respectively. The best renovation scheme for rural housing is as follows: the thickness of the XPS board is 90 mm for exterior wall insulation; the thickness of the XPS board is 80 mm for roof insulation; the window-to-wall ratio of additional sunspace is 0.6; and the type of exterior windows is a broken-bridge hollow aluminum window of 6 + 12A + 6 (mm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two types of JP‐3 kerosene gels were prepared using AC−C10 (N‐acetyl‐L‐isoleucyl decylamine, type A) and modified hydrogenated castor oil (type B) as gelling agents, and the gel formation mechanism between the two gelling agents and JP‐3 kerosene was investigated. The rheological properties of the gels, including stability, yield stress, shear thinning, and thixotropic behavior, were tested and discussed. The viscosity curves were fitted with the HBE constitutive equation and compared with the power‐law model. Non‐time‐dependent, time‐dependent, and temperature‐dependent constitutive equations of the kerosene gels were constructed. The effects of time and temperature on viscosity were analyzed. The results showed that the type B JP‐3 kerosene gel was more physically stable and less influenced by centrifugal force. Both types of gels exhibited a decrease in viscosity with increasing shear rate, indicating shear thinning behavior. Additionally, both gels demonstrated some degree of thixotropy, although the recoagulation was found to be weak. With an increase in temperature, the viscosity of the type A gel initially decreased, then increased, and finally decreased again until it approached the viscosity of kerosene at 75 °C. On the other hand, the viscosity of the type B kerosene gel gradually decreased and approached the viscosity of kerosene at 75 °C. Both types of gels exhibited high temperature sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, existing Siamese-based trackers have achieved excellent performance. However, in some complex scenarios, using deep convolutional layers alone can not effectively capture powerful representative features. To solve this problem, we propose a Siamese Attention and Deformable features fusion network for visual object Tracking (SiamADT). The proposed SiamADT consists of three modules: a Siamese attention network module for attention feature extraction, a deformable features fusion module, and a classification-regression module for bounding box prediction. Our framework uses ResNet-50 as the backbone for anchor-free tracking. Without tricky anchor hyperparameters tuning and manual intervention, SiamADT is more flexible and versatile. We conduct extensive experiments on four challenging benchmark datasets. The results demonstrate that SiamADT achieves competitive performance among state-of-the-art methods, with real-time speed—30 frames per second. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-heading Chinese cabbage (cabbage) is an essential green leafy vegetable, and bolting and flowering are necessary for reproduction. However, further research is needed to study the effect of photoperiod on the bolting and flowering of cabbage, particularly on the development of the stem. In this study, we performed phenotypic analysis and measured endogenous gibberellin levels in the cabbage. We carried out these experiments under four different photoperiodic treatments, 12 h (light)/12 h (dark), 14 h (light)/10 h (dark), 16 h (light)/8 h (dark), and 18 h (light)/6 h (dark). The results showed that the time of bolting and flowering gradually decreased with increasing light duration. The development of stems was optimal under the 16 h (light)/8 h (dark) photoperiod treatment, and the same result was obtained via cytological observation. In addition, the changes in the endogenous gibberellin3 (GA3) content under different photoperiodic treatments were consistent with the development of stems and peaked at 16 h (light)/8 h (dark). At the same time, qRT-PCR analysis showed that the relative expression of the key gibberellin synthase genes, BcGA3ox2 and BcGA20ox2, exhibited upregulation. When treated with exogenous GA3 and its synthesis inhibitor, paclobutrazol (PAC), exogenous gibberellins significantly promoted bolting; conversely, gibberellin inhibitors suppressed the bolting, flowering, and stem elongation of cabbage. Therefore, the photoperiod may regulate cabbage bolting by regulating endogenous GA3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we describe the analysis, planning, design, development, implementation and evaluation of a new online Graduate Certificate in Genomic Counselling and Variant Interpretation (GCGCVI) at The University of British Columbia (UBC). Genetic counselling is now a prerequisite for diagnostic genomic testing in many countries, demanding that genetic counselling practitioners have up‐to‐the‐moment genomic counselling skills and knowledge. Current practitioners reported a desire for more training in this rapidly developing field: our international survey revealed substantial interest in online continuing education addressing themes such as testing and clinical bioinformatics, applied variant interpretation, evidence‐based genomic counselling, and other emerging genomic topics. However, our market analysis found no post‐graduate program globally that offered such training. To fill this gap, our oversight team of genetic counsellors and geneticists therefore guided development of curriculum and materials, and online learning specialists developed rigorous interactive asynchronous online graduate courses through collaboration with subject matter experts, following best practices in online learning design. Since launch in September 2020, we have gathered learner feedback using surveys and focus groups, and we have used learning analytics to understand how learners engaged with each other and with course materials. Together, these have helped us understand learner behaviour and guide the continuous process of design improvement to support the learning goals of this audience of professional learners. Our courses have been reviewed and approved by the UBC Faculty of Medicine, UBC Senate, and the Province of British Columbia Ministries of Advanced Education and Health, and assessed by the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC, USA) and the Canadian Association of Genetic Counsellors (CAGC) to enable learners to receive North American continuing education credits. To date, 151 individuals from 18 countries have succeeded in one or more course and 43 have completed the entire certificate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neutron capture cross section of 232 T h has been measured with the time-of-flight technique in the energy range from 10 to 200 keV at the back-streaming white neutron beam-line (Back-n) of China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS). The pulse height weighting technique (PHWT) was applied with four C 6 D 6 liquid scintillators to measure the prompt gamma-ray energy release following neutron capture. The measurement data, corrected with the PHWT, have been normalized to the saturated resonances at 21.8 eV. The background was determined by a lead sample measurement and detailed Monte Carlo simulations. The 232 T h (n , γ) average cross sections have been determined relative to the 197 A u (n , γ) reaction cross sections. The results are consistent with the evaluation values of CENDL-3.2 and JENDL-5. The total uncertainties, including the PHWT, normalization, background subtraction, corrections, and relative measurement, are in the range of 4.5–4.8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aimed to examine the impact of different pH solutions on the tensile mechanical properties of saturated and natural sandstone specimens. The study utilized the WHY-300/10 microcomputer-controlled pressure testing machine to conduct Brazil splitting tests and employed acoustic emission and local dynamic strain testing techniques. The results indicated the tensile strength and split tensile modulus of the sandstone specimens gradually decreased with the polarisation of the solution pH, and the acoustic emission signal ring number monitoring values showed an increasing trend. The pH of the soaking solution followed an exponential decay pattern over time, eventually tending towards weak alkalinity. A new damage variable based on the cumulative ring count after chemical corrosion was defined to indirectly analyze the degree of corrosion degradation. It was discovered that in acidic or alkaline environments, the internal crystals of the rock are dissolved, weakening the mineral interconnections and causing a deterioration in tensile stress and strength. These findings can provide valuable insights for ensuring the safety and stability of the Denglou Mountain Tunnel in Yunnan Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of green plum/citron double-strain fermentation filtrate (DSF) on the proliferation rate of keratinocyte (HaCaT) were investigated by CCK8 assay. qPCR was used to study the effects of DSF on the mRNA transcription levels of HaCaT filaggrin (FLG), loricrin (LOR) and claudin1 (CLD1) in sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) model. The influence of DSF on the content of TNF-α in the supernatant of HaCaT cells was studied by ELISA. The results showed that DSF had no toxicity to HaCaT cells, and could increase the mRNA transcription levels of FLG, LOR and CLD1 in HaCaT cells and reduce the content of TNF-α in the supernatant of HaCaT cells in the model. Therefore, DSF has a certain skin-care efficacy of strengthening the skin barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid advancement of the informatization process of China's construction industry, the requirements for the integration of engineering design and construction are getting higher and higher. The quality of engineering design and the level of design management directly affect the quality of construction. The emergence of the EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) model overcomes the shortcomings of the traditional contracting model, but it is still not ideal in terms of work integration and information transmission. BIM (building information modeling) is a collaborative process of creating, managing and exchanging information throughout the construction project. BIM has revolutionized the construction, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. This paper examines the problems related to current project design management in China and their causes. On the basis of summarizing the existing research on design management, it introduces a form of BIM integrating design BIM and construction BIM, so as to better depict the leading role of design in the construction process. By analyzing the changes in organizational management and communication methods brought about by BIM, this paper optimizes and innovates upon the traditional project design process in view of the problems in project practice. It advances BIM design work, increases detailed BIM design work and enables the downstream participants to intervene in the design stage, so as to develop a more smooth and efficient design workflow, which provides operable work detail guidance for BIM-based design management in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article combines numerical simulation and field monitoring methods to study the stability of the overlying Liuyang River embankment in the tunnel crossing between Huaqiao Station and Rice Museum Station of Changsha Metro's Line 6. Using AutoCAD, 3Dmine, and COMSOL Multiphysics, a calculation model of the entire subway tunnel section crossing the flood control embankment under the coupling of fluids and solids was established. The process of tunnel-crossing the embankment and the variation in spatial displacement and plastic strain in different geological layers were analyzed from the perspective of time evolution and spatial distribution. The research results show that during the process of crossing the embankment, the deformation of the east bank is greater than that of the west bank, and crossing the west bank is the relatively riskier stage of the entire project. Moreover, during the process of crossing the embankment, the overlying soil layer will produce a plastic strain zone, and only a small amount of plastic strain is generated in the surrounding sandstone layer of the tunnel walls. In terms of the magnitude of plastic strain, the plastic strain area produced by the leading tunnel's surrounding rocks is larger than that of the following tunnel. As the excavation progresses, a funnel-shaped settlement displacement gradually forms during the passage of the leading tunnel, and this settlement funnel gradually expands during the passage of the following tunnel, with the maximum settlement point transitioning from directly above the leading tunnel to the middle position between the two tunnels. Using the jitter filter algorithm and the adjacent average method to process the field monitoring data, the results show that the monitored deformation results well match the simulated settlement results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excavation of large-scale lacustrine soft soil in natural state in the Chengmenshan Copper mine, Jiujiang, China, is a challenging work and is illustrated in this paper. A geometrical model of the lacustrine soft soil was built based on data from more than 150 boreholes. A series of tests were conducted on the natural soft soil including compaction, consolidation and common test, and also remolded samples containing water contents of 10%, 13%, 16%, 21%, 25%, 30% and 37% were tested. Results showed that the cohesion and friction angle decrease rapidly with the increase in water content, but the consolidation pressure played a positive role to the increase in shear strength. To properly manage the soil properties and optimize the surcharge program, settlement and uplift during the infill construction were numerically analyzed by means of SIGMA/W. Based on the test and numerical simulation results, a long term in situ improvement method was proposed and performed. Finally, drilling sampling tests, settlement monitoring and slope stability analysis were conducted to evaluate the overall effects of the surcharge. The properties of the soft soil were improved greatly under the infill surcharge, especially the cohesion and frictional increased by 279.3% and 152.8% and almost reached the value of remolded soil after consolidation under pressure 300 kPa. The settlement rate decreased with the surcharge duration. The safety factor of slope after improvement also met the design requirement. Furthermore, the method proposed in this paper which have given consideration to economic conservation and environmental protection is significant for the soft soil excavation projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fatigue fracture behaviour and a constitutive model of the freeze-thaw (F-T) sandstone are studied to investigate the failure mechanism of engineering rock in cold regions. First, the fatigue properties of the samples are analysed in terms of stress-strain, deformation characteristics, and pore structure. Second, the types of hysteresis curves are analysed using the load-unload response ratio (LURR) method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and acoustic emission (AE) techniques are then used to investigate the structural damage, crack evolution, and spectral characteristics of the samples. Based on the Lemaitre strain equivalence hypothesis, the improved Harris distribution is used to propose a new constitutive model of rock that underwent F-T cycles under multilevel fatigue loading. Finally, based on the strain difference model, the nonlinear stage of the model is corrected by defining new compaction coefficients using the Weibull distribution. Research shows that the deformation modulus of the F-T rock mass under fatigue loading has degradation behaviour and F-T cycles enhance the fatigue softening of samples. The dominant frequency range of samples under coupling is 70–330 kHz, showing multiband coexistence. As fatigue loading progresses, the hysteresis curve changes from stress hysteresis to strain hysteresis, and the frequency band gradually widens and develops towards low frequencies. The occurrence of a 0 kHz dominant frequency or LURR = 1 can be used as an early warning index of rock fatigue failure. As the number of F-T cycles progresses, the porosity composition curve shifts to the right, and the distribution of AE counts and the dominant frequency shift to the early loading stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under multiple-stratum conditions, the stability of the tunnel face must be maintained by a reasonable support pressure. Through the combination of theoretical analysis and numerical simulations, this study examines the stability of the tunnel face under multi-stratum conditions. Using software for finite difference numerical simulation, the stability of the tunnel face under multiple stratum conditions was examined. Four cases were used to determine the limit support pressures and failure zones of the tunnel face under multi-stratum conditions using various parameters. A simplified three-dimensional failure mechanism of multi-stratum conditions' tunnel face was constructed, and the limit analysis upper bound theoretical model of the support pressure was obtained, based on the outcomes of numerical simulation and the limit analysis upper bound theorem. The findings showed that the limit support pressures of the three-dimensional failure mechanism are highly consistent with the outcomes of the numerical simulation in four cases. Besides, the final parameters sensitivity analysis focused on the tunnel face failure characteristics in the four cases. The parameters analysis suggests that the stability of the tunnel face can be enhanced by improving the stratum's property or optimizing the tunnel section's design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the global economy and population growing rapidly, the problems of excessive resource consumption and environmental pollution have become increasingly serious. Thus, the need to promote sustainable development has become more urgent. Sustainable consumption behavior plays a crucial role in achieving sustainable development goals as it can significantly reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and resource consumption. Artificial intelligence technology has broken the limitations of time and space in environmental protection. For example, the Ant Forest leverages the design of "green energy" to inspire the public to engage in energy-saving and emission-reducing activities. To examine the impact mechanisms of customers' sustainable consumption behavior, this study applies the stimulus-organism-response theory and the theory of planned behavior. The study conducts regression analysis and bootstrapping methods on a sample consisting of 280 Ant Forest users to explore the influence of artificial intelligence technology stimuli on sustainable consumption behavior and the mediating effects of customer-perceived value and customer stickiness. The results demonstrate a "linkage effect" between online green consumption habits and offline sustainable consumption behavior. Moreover, the study finds that passion and usability indirectly promote offline sustainable consumption behavior through customer-perceived value and customer stickiness. Specifically, the influence of customer-perceived emotional value (β = 0.121; β = 0.100) is stronger than that of customer-perceived social value (β = 0.043; β = 0.038). Due to the limitation of the sample size, future research should broaden its scope by incorporating additional variables, specifically customer-specific factors. Furthermore, more advanced research methods, such as big data analysis, should be employed to comprehensively explore the influencing factors of sustainable consumer behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute liver failure (ALF) is a serious liver disease that is difficult to treat owing to its unclear pathogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the roles and molecular mechanisms of calycosin (CA) in ALF. Methods: In this study, the roles and mechanism of CA in ALF were explored using an in vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced ALF cell model. Additionally, 3‐(4,5‐dimethyl‐2‐thiazolyl)−2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was used to assess the effect of CA on the activity of LPS‐induced L02 human liver epithelial cells, and flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis in L02 cells. Expression levels of apoptosis‐related genes, Bax and Bcl‐2, were measured using reverse transcription‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. Expression levels of inflammatory factors in LPS‐induced L02 cells were measured using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Additionally, the effect of CA on ALF was inhibited via transfection of a toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4)‐plasmid to elucidate the relationship between CA and TLR4/nuclear factor (NF)‐κB signaling pathway in ALF. Results: CA had no toxic effects on L02 cells, but enhanced the activity of LPS‐induced L02 cells in a dose‐dependent manner. Apoptosis and inflammatory factor release was increased in ALF, activating the TLR4/NF‐κB signaling pathway. However, CA treatment inhibited the apoptosis and release of inflammatory factors. Further mechanistic studies revealed that the upregulation of TLR4 expression reversed the alleviating effects of CA on inflammation and apoptosis in LPS‐induced L02 cells. Conclusion: CA alleviates inflammatory damage in LPS‐induced L02 cells by inhibiting the TLR4/NF‐κB pathway and may be a promising therapeutic agent for ALF treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to research the displacement characteristics and stability of a soil slope reinforced with carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) and anti-slide piles, the displacement composition, aging deformation and failure mode of a soil mass were analyzed. According to the Mohr–Coulomb strength criterion, a new nonlinear, accelerated creep model of soil mass was founded with the addition of a self-building M-C plastic element. Furthermore, a viscoplastic strain analytical formula of an M-C plastic element was obtained, and the tensile deformation characteristics of a CFRP sheet were also discovered under a landslide thrust creep load. According to the environmental conditions of the anti-slide pile, the CFRP was arranged along the load-bearing side of the pile to control deformation. Combining the calculation example, it is shown that the horizontal displacement of the soil slope's composite structure decreases by approximately 40% with CFRP reinforcement. Furthermore, for the first two calculation conditions, after one year, the maximum horizontal displacement decreased by 50% and increased by 10%, respectively. Simultaneously, the overall safety factor increased by 31.3% without soil creep properties. On the contrary, the overall safety factor was reduced, and the slope has a tendency toward unstable failure. Moreover, there is no through plastic zone in the slope. The stability of the reinforced slope and the bearing capacity of the pile are related to the CFRP method. Simultaneously, the structure can reduce the costs and construction difficulty of anti-slide piles in a complex environment surrounded by the soil creep effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prefabricated buildings have the advantages of high efficiency and saving resources. However, China's prefabricated buildings were built relatively late, and there are problems in terms of their low standardization, integration, and industrialization. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of constructing prefabricated buildings under the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) general contracting mode from the perspective of general contractors and to propose countermeasures for the key risks. Firstly, a risk evaluation index system was established via a literature analysis, and a questionnaire survey was used to collect the data. SPSS was used to conduct the data factor analysis to finally identify 4 first-level indicators and 14 second-level indicators. Then, a structural equation model (SEM) was developed to further evaluate the impact of each indicator on the risk of constructing prefabricated buildings under the EPC general contracting mode. The results showed that the construction and design risk had the greatest impact. Among them, the technical level of the construction personnel while conducting the hoisting, stacking, and protection of on-site materials and the lack of integrated design experience among the designers were the key points for risk control. On the one hand, this study explored the whole life cycle of a project, which makes up for the lack of risk analyses and the control being limited to a single engineering stage that has been presented in previous studies. On the other hand, in terms of the design, procurement, and construction as a whole research object, we found that the fuzzy evaluation method and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) used in previous risk analyses and evaluation methods have defects. They cannot verify the rationality of the logical relationship between the evaluation indices. In contrast, this study used the SEM method to fill this research gap. This ensures the scientific nature of our research to the greatest extent. Additionally, we also found some problems with this type of research: the selection of the evaluation indicators and data collection vary with the region, project characteristics, project contracting mode, and risk management subject, which influence the results of studies. Overall, the SEM method established in this study provides a reference and can help us conduct similar research and model evaluations in other regions. This method can guide project implementers to make the best risk-management decisions, so it is of great significance for practitioners in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chaining configurations (e.g. 2-chain) have been widely applied in service systems to improve responsiveness to customer demand. In this paper, we propose an approximation method for the analysis of symmetric parallel queueing systems with 2-chain configuration and preemptive priority. In the queueing system of interest, the arrival processes of different types of customers follow independent Poisson processes with identical arrival rate λ, and service times of different types of customers are exponentially distributed with identical service rate μ. Each server serves its primary customers with preemptive priority. When there are no primary customers in the system, the server serves secondary customers. We first derive the system stability condition. Then, we analyse the system's various performance measures. Our approach relies on the matrix-analytic method coupled with the idle probability of each server, which is proved to be. The average queue length of each queue and the rate that each server serves its secondary customers (i.e. the helping rate) can be estimated using our proposed method. Finally, we conduct numerical studies to demonstrate the accuracy of our proposed approximation method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant increases in suspended sediment concentration (SSC) always occur during dam removal or sediment flushing processes, which could result in acute impacts on aquatic organisms. An analysis of the potential impact of the Huangheyuan hydropower dam removal on the upper reaches of the Yellow River is required for adaptive management. But the reports on the impact of high SSC on fishes living in rivers in the plateau areas are limited. Further studies on impact factors, fish behavior, and assessment methods were performed in this paper. The acute response of a typical fish, Gymnocypris eckloni, was tested by experiments with sediment concentrations ranging from 3.3 × 103 to 80.78 × 103 mg·L−1. The changes in fish aquatic surface respiration (ASR) behavior were analyzed under different SSCs. The cluster analysis of the environmental factors was conducted to analyze the relationship between the factors and fish mortality. The severity of ill effects (SEV) model was improved to assess the acute impact on fish. The results indicated that the SSC was the most related factor. The ASR could be induced by the SSC higher than 21 × 103 mg·L−1, and fish mortality was caused by SSC higher than 55 × 103 mg·L−1. The thresholds of SSC and exposure duration for fish protection were proposed to be less than 55 × 103 mg·L−1 and 6 hr, respectively. The findings could support the planning and regulation of dam sediment management on plateau areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interval section of the Liuyang River flood control levee project of the Changsha Metro Line 6 is used as the engineering background of this study. A three-dimensional finite element numerical model of a tunnel shield containing complex interfaces is established by using the multifield coupling software COMSOL. The paper studied the deformation of flood control levees under shield tunnel excavation working conditions. The results show that when the left line shield machine is excavated below the Liuyang River flood control levee, the deformation of the flood control levee and the surrounding rock of the tunnel is biased towards the built right line tunnel. And it has an impact on the bridge pile near the tunnel. When the shield of the left line crosses the flood control levee, it can easily cause a large deformation and displacement of the levee above the area between the two shields. To ensure the controlled deformation of the levee, the construction should ensure the spacing between the two tunnel palm faces as far as possible and should be far away from other structures on the levee. When the shield crosses the levee, the deformation that occurs at the base of the levee is significantly higher than the deformations that occur at other locations of the levee. Displacement monitoring and secondary reinforcement at the base of the flood control levee appear to be necessary. The numerical simulation results validate the feasibility of using the multifield coupling software COMSOL to study the construction modeling of shield tunnels through rivers and its advantages. This method provides a practical framework for similar tunnel performance engineering or displacement monitoring in future projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of computer vision technology, many advanced computer vision methods have been successfully applied to animal detection, tracking, recognition and behavior analysis, which is of great help to ecological protection, biodiversity conservation and environmental protection. As existing datasets applied to target tracking contain various kinds of common objects, but rarely focus on wild animals, this paper proposes the first benchmark, named Wild Animal Tracking Benchmark (WATB), to encourage further progress of research and applications of visual object tracking. WATB contains more than 203,000 frames and 206 video sequences, and covers different kinds of animals from land, sea and sky. The average length of the videos is over 980 frames. Each video is manually labelled with thirteen challenge attributes including illumination variation, rotation, deformation, and so on. In the dataset, all frames are annotated with axis-aligned bounding boxes. To reveal the performance of these existing tracking algorithms and provide baseline results for future research on wild animal tracking, we benchmark a total of 38 state-of-the-art trackers and rank them according to tracking accuracy. Evaluation results demonstrate that the trackers based on deep networks perform much better than other trackers like correlation filters. Another finding on the basis of the evaluation results is that wild animals tracking is still a big challenge in computer vision community. The benchmark WATB and evaluation results are released on the project website https://w-1995.github.io/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the second-largest contributor to historical global warming, methane emissions must be controlled to slow down temperature increase and achieve climate benefits. Due to a lack of knowledge about the specific sources and processes, a quantitative approach will lead to inaccurate estimation. In this paper, a typical local distribution company with more than 100 years of operation history was chosen. Detailed procedures of pipeline constructions and accidents were investigated, and critical steps leading to methane emissions were clarified. Then emission quantification methodologies for all processes were proposed, including a new pipeline connection, new regulator connection, emergency repair and third-party damages. As a basis for emission estimation, the distribution of parameters, such as diameter, length and pressure, was counted. Then the emission rates of all projects were calculated, and emission factors were established. The average emission rates of the new pipeline connection, new regulator connection, emergency repair, third-party damage (medium pressure) and third-party damage (low pressure) were 234 kg, 147 kg, 217 kg, 17,282 kg and 62 kg, respectively. In addition, the total methane emission in China from these sources was estimated to be about 5 × 104 t, which is large enough to attract attention. The work in this paper aims to establish a reasonable framework to evaluate venting methane emissions from the distribution process of natural gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutron-induced uranium fission reactions play an essential role in advanced nuclear energy research, basic and applied nuclear science. Based on the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) Back-streaming white neutron source (Back-n), the measurement of the 236,238U fission cross sections relative to 235U from the threshold to 200 MeV was carried out by using time-of-flight (TOF) method with a multi-cell fast fission ionization chamber in double-bunch mode. The TOF spectra in double-bunch mode were unfolded by using Bayesian method. The fission cross section ratios of 238U/235U and 236U/235U were obtained. The experimental data of the 236,238U/235U fission cross section ratios measured in single-bunch mode were re-analyzed in high energy region and the upper limit was extended to 200 MeV for comparison. The experimental results in double-bunch mode are in good agreement with those in single-bunch mode and the main evaluation data within experimental uncertainties. The 236,238U(n,f) cross sections were obtained from the measured ratios and the standard 235U(n,f) cross sections and they agree well with the theoretical calculation, previous experiments, main evaluations and IAEA NDS. The experimental results can provide technical support for further experimental researches in double-bunch mode and relevant nuclear data evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-dimensional collapse mechanism that can consider a combined collapse of the tunnel roof and the side walls is proposed in this work. The three-dimensional upper bound support pressure is formulated with the power balance principal in the upper bound theorem. The nonlinear Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion is used to replace the commonly used linear MohrCoulomb failure criterion. The method has been validated by a series of examples, in which the three-dimensional collapse mechanism and support pressures are in a good agreement with the numerical results and solutions found in the literatures. Furthermore, sensitivity analyses of the geotechnical and geometrical parameters on the support pressure are conducted and the collapsing range is measured. The results show that a higher value of nonlinear failure coefficient, tensile strength, initial cohesion and tangential internal friction angle can increase tunnel stability, while tunnel stability is threatened by a higher value of burial depth, unit weight, tunnel width and height. The predicted collapse range increases noticeably with the increase of the nonlinear coefficient. This study is of great significance for predicting the three-dimensional safety support pressure and collapse mechanism of tunnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]