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A porous microplate embedded with two nanocomposite piezoelectric layers is investigated in the current work. All three layers are functionally graded and completely attached to each other, and the microstructure lies on a bi-parameter elastic foundation that withstands shear and normal forces simultaneously. Also, an external voltage is subjected to the piezoelectric patches. The mentioned patches are reinforced with carbon nanotubes to enhance their electro-mechanical performance. A higher-order shear deformation theory and von Karman's assumptions are hired to demonstrate the kinematic relations. Next, applying Hamilton's principle and variational technique, the governing motion equations are derived with the help of the modified couple stress theory to capture the scale influence. To solve the system of differential equations, a closed-form Navier method is employed, and by ensuring the correctness of the results, then it turns to investigate the impact of different factors including porosity percentage and also pores' distribution patterns, nanotubes dispersion patterns, and other important factors on the natural frequencies of the model. Obtained results show that symmetric and uniform porosity distributions have the maximum and minimum amounts of natural frequencies. Moreover, the maximum difference between natural frequencies of three different porosity distribution occurs in e0 = 0.95 and is approximately 32%. The current study results may consider to design and produce smart structures and devices with improved performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy is recognized as a promising therapeutic target for traumatic brain injury (TBI). Crocetin is an aglycone of crocin naturally occurring in saffron and has been found to alleviate brain injury diseases. However, whether crocetin affects autophagy after TBI remains unknown. Therefore, we explore crocetin roles in autophagy after TBI. We used a weight-dropped model to induce TBI in C57BL/6J mice. Neurological severity scoring (NSS) and grip tests were used to evaluate the neurological level of injury. Brain edema, neuronal apoptosis, neuroinflammation and autophagy were detected by measurements of brain water content, TUNEL staining, ELISA kits and western blotting. Crocetin ameliorated neurological dysfunctions and brain edema after TBI. Crocetin reduced neuronal apoptosis and neuroinflammation and enhanced autophagy after TBI. Crocetin alleviates TBI by inhibiting neuronal apoptosis and neuroinflammation and activating autophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seasonal patterns (SP) exert a notable influence on the course and prognosis of patients with affective disorders, serving as a specifier in diagnosis. However, there is limited exploration of seasonality among psychotic patients, and the distinctions in seasonality among psychiatric patients remain unclear. In this study, we enrolled 198 psychiatric patients with anxiety and depressive disorders (A&D), bipolar disorder (BD), and schizophrenia (SZ), as well as healthy college students. Online questionnaires, including the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ) for seasonality, the Morningness and Eveningness Questionnaire-5 (MEQ-5) for chronotypes, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), were administered. The validity and reliability of the Chinese version of the SPAQ were thoroughly analyzed, revealing a Cronbach's alpha of 0.896 with a two-factor structure. Results indicated that higher seasonality was correlated with poorer sleep quality and a more delayed chronotype (p < 0.05). Significant monthly variations were particularly evident in BD, specifically in mood, appetite, weight, social activities, and sleep dimensions (p < 0.001). In summary, the Chinese version of SPAQ is validated, demonstrating moderate correlations between seasonality, chronotype, and sleep quality. BD patients exhibited the strongest seasonality, while mood disorder patients displayed more delayed chronotypes than SZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, an aperiodic intermittent sampling method is designed in event-based model predictive control for nonlinear discrete systems subject to external disturbances. The proposed aperiodic intermittent sampling is applied to find the appropriate triggering instant satisfying the desired sub-optimal performance. In the proposed event-based MPC, selection of the sampling instants is based on the prediction of the worst case induced by disturbances and the mapping principle with updated state feedback. With the proposed event-based MPC, the measurement frequency and the triggering rate can be reduced by sampling the system states only at certain time instants. Recursive feasibility and robust stability are established under sufficient conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pinibarrenia chlamydospora, sp. nov. isolated from the roots of highbush blueberry in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, is described and illustrated. Based on multigene phylogenetic analysis, as well as morphological and ecological characteristics, Pinibarreniales and Pinibarreniaceae are established to accommodate this novel lineage in Sordariomycetidae, Sordariomycetes. Pinibarreniales, Tracyllalales, and Vermiculariopsiellales are proposed to be included in the subclass Sordariomycetidae. Pinibarreniales likely have a wide distribution and forms association with Ericaceae plants that live in acidic and oligotrophic environments because its DNA barcode matches with environmental sequences from other independent ecological studies. The plant-fungal interaction experiment revealed negative impacts on Arabidopsis, indicating its pathogenicity. This uncovered new fungal lineage will contribute to a better understanding of the diversity and systematics of Sordariomycetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractSesquilignans PD is a natural phenylpropanoid compound that was isolated from Zanthoxylum nitidum var. tomentosum. In this study, we assessed the antitumor effect of PD on SK-Hep-1 and HepG2 cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms. The results revealed that PD markedly inhibited the proliferation and migration of both liver cancer cells. Moreover, PD induced apoptosis, autophagy, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in liver cancer cells. Notably, PD increased the protein levels of p-p38 MAPK and p-ERK1/2 in liver cancer cells. This is the first report on the anticancer effect of PD, which is mediated via increased ROS production and MAPK signaling activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new triterpenoid saponin (1), along with five known compounds (2–6), was isolated from Bupleurum marginatum Wall. ex DC, of which compounds 2–4 were obtained for the first time from this plant. The structures were confirmed by the analysis of 1D, 2D NMR, and HR-ESIMS data, and comparison with previous spectral data. Anti-liver fibrotic activities of the isolates were determined as proliferation inhibition of LPS-induced activation of HSC-T6 in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractLive streaming has been increasingly popular worldwide, with gift-giving emerging as a pivotal revenue stream for many streamers. While prior research has delved into the influence of streamers’ emotions and viewer-streamer interaction on viewers’ gift-giving behaviors, we suggest that peer viewers also play an essential role. In line with the principles of social influence and herding theory, the behaviors of peer viewers and the size of the viewing group are integral factors shaping individual behaviors. Hence, in the context of lives streaming, we focus on examining the impact of peer viewers’ gift-giving behaviors and the audience size on the gift-giving behaviors of individual viewers, respectively. Additionally, we examine the moderating role of viewers’ identities. We collected data from a popular live streaming platform in China and employed a panel regression model based on a sample of 651,678 viewers. This study contributes to the gift-giving literature by revealing the influence of peer viewers on focal viewers’ likelihood of gifting, gifting frequency and gifting value, and the moderating effect of viewers’ identities. Overall, these results have significant implications for both the theoretical understanding of social influence and herding in online setting, as well as the practical implications for future live streaming management. Future research could delve deeper into understanding the impact of various types of live streaming content and cultural differences on individual’s gift-giving behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Private parking spaces account for a large proportion of potential parking resources, whose utilization rate could be raised by sharing them. To investigate private parking space owners’ sharing choice behavior, this paper applies a framework of Combined Technology Acceptance Model and the Theory of Planned Behavior for a more comprehensive consideration of psychological attitudes on these suppliers in urban residential areas. A web-based survey was conducted to collect data. The justified factors are then incorporated in hybrid choice model (HCM) as latent variables. HCM results showed that incorporation of latent variables such as perceived risk provides better fitting effect than traditional multinominal models, and that revenues and community participance are influential factors for sharing choice. Our findings indicate behavioral intention framework could serve as argumentation of rational selection of latent variables. These findings could also support better implementation of shared parking from managerial and operational perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveMethodResultsConclusions\nKey PointsCognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for social anxiety disorder (SAD) can be delivered through several modalities, including individually-administered CBT (ICBT), group-based CBT (GCBT), and CBT delivered remotely (RCBT). We synthesised the current literature on ICBT, GCBT, and RCBT approaches in adults with SAD, and compared their relative effectiveness using a meta-analytic approach.This review included randomised controlled trials comparing a disorder specific CBT monotherapy (ICBT, GCBT, or RCBT) to a non-active control group in adults with diagnosed SAD. Eligible studies were searched through PsycINFO, Scopus, and EMBASE databases to April 2023. A total of 37 studies met the inclusion criteria (with 55 between-group comparisons; N = 3234). Between-group effect sizes were conducted using random effects models.Analyses indicated that RCBT (k = 23; g = 0.90; 95% CI = 0.74–1.06) and ICBT (k = 17; g = 0.95; 95% CI = 0.66–1.23) demonstrated large effects, while GCBT demonstrated medium effects (k = 15; g = 0.71; 95% CI = 0.49–0.94). The groups, however, did not differ significantly (Q2 = 2.17, p > .05).This study builds on the existing literature demonstrating the efficacy of these treatment approaches.What is already known about this topic: Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for adults with social anxiety disorder (SAD).CBT for SAD can be delivered using a variety of treatment approaches.Individually-administered CBT, group-based CBT and remotely-delivered CBT are the primary treatment modalities.Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for adults with social anxiety disorder (SAD).CBT for SAD can be delivered using a variety of treatment approaches.Individually-administered CBT, group-based CBT and remotely-delivered CBT are the primary treatment modalities.What this topic adds: This study compared the effectiveness of different CBT delivery methods.Individually-administered CBT and remotely delivered CBT result in large effect sizes, while group-based CBT results in medium effect sizes.Individually-administered CBT, group-based CBT and remotely-delivered CBT can be delivered with equal confidence based on client preference.This study compared the effectiveness of different CBT delivery methods.Individually-administered CBT and remotely delivered CBT result in large effect sizes, while group-based CBT results in medium effect sizes.Individually-administered CBT, group-based CBT and remotely-delivered CBT can be delivered with equal confidence based on client preference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a flexible array Plantar sensor fabricated through the high-voltage electrospinning process of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) ，incorporating stannic oxide nanoparticles （SnO2NPS）and graphene (GR) composite nanofilm. The surface morphology, β-phase crystal content, piezoelectric performance, composition, and structure of the composite piezoelectric films were evaluated using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman Spectroscopy, and a vibration platform. Experimental findings reveal that P(VDF-TrFE)/SnO2NPS/GR composite films containing 5% SnO2NPS and 0.1% GR exhibit superior open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current, measuring 22.43 V and 12.95 uA, respectively. These values are approximately 1.59 times and 1.34 times higher than those of the 5% P(VDF-TrFE) composite film and about 2.37 and 2.16 times higher than those of pure P(VDF-TrFE). A flexible piezoelectric sensor was fabricated using this composite film, and the mechanical properties and electrical impedance behavior of the sensor were investigated and analyzed.A multi-channel foot pressure collection and classification system was established based on this sensor, and a Parkinson’s disease machine learning model for multi-channel foot pressure collection was investigated. Various machine learning models for Parkinson’s disease were compared, and a fine K Nearest Neighbors（KNN） Parkinson’s disease classification model with an accuracy of 97.1% was proposed. This offers a novel solution for Parkinson’s disease diagnosis and holds significant reference value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconstruction and governance in rural China have been a recurring theme for the last century. This article presents case studies based on Art-Oriented Rural Reconstruction Movement (ARRM) projects in Guangdong Province to analyze their modes of reconstruction, the themes they chose to engage with and their social impact, and the various social actors that dominated these projects. This study aims to answer whether ARRM provides a better mechanism as a creative mode of rural governance and whether other desired benefits, such as attracting economic resources toward the preservation of local culture or invigorating the local community, are better achieved. The cases help shed light on the question of the performativity of ruralism in connection with China’s contemporary urban practices in Shenzhen and a series of government-led art events of rural revitalization in the countryside. In doing so, they help identify what ARRM means to the ‘self-governed’ and the imagined ‘harmonious’ rural society, as well as what both mean to China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International students are fundamental actors in the university's knowledge management process, but little is known about their knowledge activities. The purpose of this study is to understand how the knowledge sharing process in higher education unfolds in the context of international students' perspectives. Based on a qualitative approach, data were collected through interviews with Chinese international students studying at Russian universities. The results of this study were synthesized into a proposed process model for knowledge sharing, describing the activities and four stages related to knowledge sharing by international students. This study found that the relative weights of influencing factors vary across the four stages of knowledge sharing and that international students' knowledge sharing is an iterative process that occurs in an incremental way. As a result, the study reveals the knowledge source role of international students, and extends the existing knowledge-sharing model to more accurately reflect the micro-processes of international students' knowledge sharing. Future research can examine the applicability of the identified micro-processes in different higher education contexts. Based on the different needs of international students in the four stages identified in this study, leaders can facilitate knowledge management in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) in basic education, i.e. K12 education, have often been constrained by sociocultural context and limited to pedagogical aspects, and these innovations have not yet catalyzed curriculum reform as expected. To address this research gap, this study adopted a key-competence-based subject knowledge learning tool, i.e. Smart Learning Partner (SLP), and conducted a quasi-experimental study to evaluate its effects among middle school students. A total of 400 participants in Grade 7 from four schools were followed for a period of two and a half years. The results on online learning engagement indicated that the manipulation generally succeeded in promoting students' use of SLP in the experimental schools. Furthermore, the results on academic performance showed that SLP could not only directly benefit students' learning in the first academic year but also continued to have an effect within the following one and a half years. This study contributes to the existing knowledge in two aspects: first, it extends the use of an adaptive learning cognitive map and shows positive effects in supporting the implementation of the whole curriculum; second, it presents a long-term and large-scale example of successfully integrating ICTs into the key-competence-based curriculum reform in the Chinese context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A digital core technique was utilized for three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of reef limestone and the maximum-ball algorithm was adopted to extract the pore network model, thus realizing the quantification and 3D visualization of pore throats in reef limestone. Meanwhile, the digital core technology was combined with the fractal theory to calculate the two-dimensional (2D) and 3D fractal dimensions of reef limestone of four different densities. The results show that the slice-by-slice porosity of reef limestone is highly discrete, and the porosity of reef limestone gradually reduces as its density increases. The pore and throat radii of reef limestone of different densities both follow the logarithmic normal distribution while the throat length follows the Gaussian distribution. The coordination number of reef limestone is mainly distributed in the range of 2.73 to 8.65. As the density increases, pore connectivity gradually weakens. The sphericity of reef limestone exhibits a strong exponential correlation with the pore radius The fractal dimension of reef limestone is mainly distributed in the range of 2.392 to 2.697 and tends to decline gradually with the increase in density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to understand the nature of learning English in the digital age from students' personal 'learning lives'. Drawing on hermeneutic phenomenology's principles, this study conducted conversational interviews and obtained reflective reports from students over 5 months. The findings reveal that students' English learning experiences are sociocultural processes involving a complex interplay between learner agency, other agents, the cultural practices using smartphones, and the wider context. Furthermore, learning English using smartphones facilitates an approach to it or Computer Assisted Language Learning that embraces 'anytime' and 'anywhere' learning and involves a seamless integration of personal, social, formal, and informal learnings. Therefore, we propose smartphone-assisted English language learning (SAELL), addressing smartphone use for learning English, based on qualitative data and recent trends in the field. Future research should include rich qualitative evidence to support the SAELL framework in practice in multiple empirical settings. Empirical studies are mostly applied within university settings; however, the practical implications have more relevance to students, teachers, educators, and policymakers who may be involved in shaping novel smartphone learning spaces for formal and informal contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lncRNA TRG-AS1 and its co-expressed gene P2RY10 are important for colorectal cancer (CRC) occurrence and development. The purpose of our research was to explore the roles of TRG-AS1 and P2RY10 in CRC progression. The abundance of TRG-AS1 and P2RY10 in CRC cell lines (HT-29 and LoVo) and normal colon cells FHC was determined and difference between CRC cells and normal cells was compared. LoVo cells were transfected with si-TRG-AS1 and si-P2RY10 constructs. Subsequently, the viability, colony formation, and migration of the transfected cells were analyzed using cell counting kit-8, clonogenicity, and scratch-wound/Transwell® assays, respectively. Cells overexpressing GNA13 were used to further explore the relationship between TRG-AS1 and P2RY10 along with their downstream functions. Finally, nude mice were injected with different transfected cell types to observe tumor formation in vivo. TRG-AS1 and P2RY10 were significantly upregulated in HT-29 and LoVo compared to FHC cells. TRG-AS1 knockdown and P2RY10 silencing suppressed the viability, colony formation, and migration of LoVo cells. TRG-AS1 knockdown downregulated the expression of P2RY10, GNA12, and GNA13, while P2RY10 silencing downregulated the expression of TRG-AS1, GNA12, and GNA13. Additionally, GNA13 overexpression reversed the cell growth and gene expression changes in LoVo cells induced by TRG-AS1 knockdown or P2RY10 silencing. In vivo experiments revealed that CRC tumor growth was suppressed by TRG-AS1 knockdown and P2RY10 silencing. TRG-AS1 knockdown repressed the growth of HT-29 and LoVo by regulating P2RY10 and GNA13 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most malignant cancer worldwide. Sorafenib (SRF) is a common therapeutic drug used for patients with advanced HCC. Nevertheless, drug resistance frequently occurs in patients treated with sorafenib. Glycyrrhizic acid (GRA) is a natural compound that is identified to exhibit anti-cancer effects. In this work, we aimed to investigate the effects of GRA on SRF-resistant HCC cells and the potential regulatory mechanisms. We established SRF-resistant HCC cell lines and administrated GRA treatment. We performed CCK-8 and colony formation experiments to detect cell proliferation. The accumulation of lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) and iron levels were measured to evaluate ferroptosis. The protein levels of ferroptosis suppressor glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and SLC7A11, and the activation of AKT and mTOR were measured with western blotting assay. GRA treatment notably suppressed the viability and proliferation of SRF-resistant HCC cells. SRF-resistant HCC cells exhibited repressed ferroptosis level activated AKT/mTOR cascade, and GRA treatment reversed these effects. Inhibition of ferroptosis and activation of mTOR reversed the anti-proliferation effects of GRA on SRF-resistant HCC cells. Treatment with GRA could effectively reverse the SRF resistance of HCC cells via inducing ferroptosis and inactivating the AKT/mTOR cascade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bay areas have experienced a rapid development in their city integration and tourism industry over the past decade. However, city integration has rarely been studied in the tourism literature along with its dimensions and impact on tourism development. Therefore, this study examines city integration and its effects on tourism development from the perspective of residents in the Greater Bay Area, China. Through a qualitative research method with 73 semi-structured interviews, this study identified five dimensions of the effects of city integration on tourism development were also determined, including resource, community, product, marketing and economic dimensions. The theoretical contributions and practical implications of the findings were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-robot collaboration (HRC) in assembly is becoming increasingly popular in the field of intelligent manufacturing. However, safety concerns remain the most critical issue to be addressed. The complex assembly environment and the individual differences of workers make it challenging to ensure safety effectively. Furthermore, the concept of human-centric manufacturing also places higher requirements on safety and efficiency of HRC assembly. The application of digital twin (DT) technology has bolstered the cognitive and decision-making capabilities in the context of HRC assembly. This technological advancement provides essential support for addressing safety concerns in HRC assembly processes guided by a human-centric approach. A personalised safety detection method for HRC assembly based on DT technology is proposed. This approach involves personalised modelling and simulation of real objects within the HRC process, establishing a collision detection model based on skeleton points. Subsequently, human motion prediction methods drive safety monitoring between humans and robots. Ultimately, personalised safety warning strategies are applied to ensure the safety of the assembly process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrite has been widely used in meat products for its abilities including color formation, antimicrobial properties, flavor formation and preventing lipid oxidation. However, the possible generation of N-nitrosamines through reaction of nitrite with secondary amines arises many concerns in the usage of nitrite. For a long time, nitrite substitution is unsettled issue in the meat industry. Many attempts have been tried, however, the alternative solutions are often ephemeral and palliative. In recent years, bacterial nitric oxide synthase (bNOS) has received attention for its critical roles, especially in reddening meat products. This comprehensive background study summarizes the application of bNOS in colorizing meat products, its functions in bacteria, and methods of regulating the bNOS pathway. Based on this information, some strategies for promoting the nitric oxide yield for effectively substituting nitrite are presented, such as changing the environmental conditions for bacterial survival and adding substrate. Thus, bNOS is a promising nitrite substitute for color formation, and further research on its other roles in meat needs to be carried out to obtain the complete picture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis article proposes a low-frequency and efficient tension-like nonlinear piezoelectric energy harvester, which increases the harvesting performance of the harvester by swinging the support frame. Firstly, design the structure of the harvester and draw a physical model. Secondly, finite element models are used to simulate and analyze the structure’s dynamic characteristics. Finally, make an experimental prototype of the harvester and explore the power generation characteristics of the device through experiments. The results indicate that the harvester has two natural frequencies under low-frequency conditions. The energy harvester has the optimal external resistance to achieve peak output power. The greater the excitation acceleration, the greater the total output power value of the energy harvester. When the mass of the mass block is 3.7 g and the excitation acceleration is 0.4 g, the total output power value of the energy harvester is 3.88 mW, and the harvesting frequency band is wide, indicating excellent output performance of the harvester. The experimental results of the energy harvester device are consistent with the simulation results, fully verifying the correctness of the experiment and simulation. This piezoelectric energy harvester can efficiently harvest vibration energy at low frequencies, providing a good prospect for supplying power to microelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a sparse least squares (SLS) optimization model for solving multilinear equations, in which the sparsity constraint on the solutions can effectively reduce storage and computation costs. By employing variational properties of the sparsity set, along with differentiation properties of the objective function in the SLS model, the first-order optimality conditions are analysed in terms of the stationary points. Based on the equivalent characterization of the stationary points, we propose the Newton Hard-Threshold Pursuit (NHTP) algorithm and establish its locally quadratic convergence under some regularity conditions. Numerical experiments conducted on simulated datasets including cases of Completely Positive(CP)-tensors and symmetric strong M-tensors illustrate the efficiency of our proposed NHTP method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on social information processing theory, this study examined the mediating role of perceived leader expectations (PLE) for creativity and perceived leader support (PLS) for creativity on the relationship between digital leadership (DL) and employees’ radical creativity (RC). A total of 231 employees in China’s information technology industry contributed data through a two-wave survey over one week. Results from structural equation modelling and bootstrapping analysis indicate that digital leadership was directly associated with higher radical or innovative creativity. Perceived leader expectations for creativity and perceived leader support for creativity enhanced digital leadership effects on radical creativity. Perceived leader expectations for creativity–perceived leader support for creativity played a chain mediating role in the relationship between digital leadership and radical creativity, strengthening radical creativity. These findings are consistent with social information processing theory and expand the evidence of the impact of digital leadership on employees’ radical creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjectiveParticipantsMethodsResultsConclusionsSexual violence is endemic on college campuses. Four-year campuses present high-risk environments for sexual violence and heavy episodic drinking is a robust risk factor for victimization. However, limited literature exists on sexual violence at two-year institutions, with most research focused on four-year campuses. We examined whether campus climates affect sexual violence prevalence rates.Sexual misconduct campus climate data from two-year and four-year campus students.We used Bayesian logistic regressions to compare sexual victimization odds between two- and four-year campuses.Four-year students were twice as likely to have experienced sexual victimization and 2.5 times more likely to engage in heavy episodic drinking compared to two-year students. The risk of sexual victimization associated with heavy episodic drinking was reliably similar across campus types.Campus climates reliably impact student’s risk of sexual victimization. Based on these findings, two- and four-year campuses may need to implement distinct prevention services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The graded forced-choice (FC) format has recently emerged as an alternative that may preserve the advantages and overcome the issues of the dichotomous FC measures. The current study presented the first large-scale evaluation of the performance of three types of FC measures (FC2, FC4 and FC5 with 2, 4 and 5 response options, respectively) and compared their performance to their Likert (LK) counterparts (LK2, LK4, and LK5) on (1) psychometric properties, (2) respondent reactions, and (3) susceptibility to response styles. Results showed that, compared to LK measures with the same number of response options, the three FC scales provided better support for the hypothesized factor structure, were perceived as more faking-resistant and cognitive demanding, and were less susceptible to response styles. FC4/5 and LK4/5 demonstrated similarly good reliability, while LK2 provided more reliable scores than FC2. When compared across the three FC measures, FC4 and FC5 displayed comparable psychometric performance and respondent reactions. FC4 exhibited a moderate presence of extreme response style, while FC5 had a weak presence of both extreme and middle response styles. Based on these findings, the study recommends the use of graded FC over dichotomous FC and LK, particularly FC5 when extreme response style is a concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the distribution of esculin microspheres in rabbit brain tissue following intravitreal injection and investigated the possibility of direct entry of the drug into the brain through the eye, to develop a formulation with enhanced therapeutic efficacy against Parkinson's disease. Chitosan microspheres of esculin were prepared via an emulsification cross-linking method and their characteristics were evaluated, including angle of repose, bulk density, and swelling ratio. Furthermore, the pharmacokinetic parameters and brain tissue distribution in rabbits were compared among groups administered esculin eye drops, intravitreal esculin solution, and intravitreal esculin microspheres, to determine whether esculin could enter the brain through an ocular route. The results showed that the prepared esculin microspheres were spherical and had good fluidity. Notably, intravitreal administration enhanced the area under the curve (AUC) of esculin in the thalamus. Delivery through microspheres prolonged the drug retention time in both rabbit plasma and brain tissues, as well as the brain-targeting efficiency of esculin. The collective findings indicated that there may be a direct eye-brain pathway facilitating enter of esculin microspheres into brain tissue after intravitreal injection, supporting the utility of intravitreal esculin microspheres as an effective therapeutic formulation for Parkinson's disease, a long-term chronic condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present study deals with the nonlinear analysis of thermally induced deflection and snap-through buckling in functionally graded porous (FGP) curved nanotubes. It is assumed that the curved nanotube is rested on a two-parameter nonlinear elastic foundation. The curved nanotube is subjected to uniformly distributed transverse pressure loading and also uniform temperature rise. Distribution of thermomechanical properties in the thickness of curved nanotubes is radially graded according to a power law function. The even type of porosity distribution patterns is included into the formulation and all properties are considered as temperature dependent. The nonlocal strain gradient and uncoupled thermoelasticity theories are provided to analyze the geometrically nonlinear behaviors of curved nanotubes. The equilibrium equations are obtained based on the high-order shear deformation theory. To capture the large deformations, the von Kármán type of nonlinear kinematic assumptions is included. Two types of immovable boundary conditions are considered which are simply-supported and clamped-clamped. The equilibrium equations are reformulated and transferred into the dimensionless presentation. The closed-form expressions are provided to trace the thermal/mechanical load-deflection paths of curved nanotubes using the two-step perturbation technique. Numerical results of this study are compared with the available data in the literature for the macro-scale curved tubes. After that novel parametric results are provided to discuss the effects of nonlocal and length scale parameters, boundary conditions, porosity coefficient, foundation stiffness, power law exponent, and geometrical parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent emergence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technology has stimulated interests as well as concerns in their potential in teaching and learning. Situated in the new and transforming context, this study provides an avenue for students to introspectively explore their use of GenAI in a postgraduate course. Seventy-four students from three Chinese universities participated in this study. By analyzing student interviews conducted pre- and post-course, alongside their chat logs with GenAI and reflective journal entries detailing their learning approaches, the research uncovers a spectrum of student perspectives on GenAI's impact, ranging from beneficial optimism, to cautious skepticism and adaptable pragmatism. Notably, student agency is identified as a crucial element in relation to these themes. This was articulated in four types of learning activities: receptive, resistive, resourceful, and reflective. The research underscores the importance of supporting and empowering student agency in the learning approaches aided by GenAI in education, highlighting its role in optimizing its use and enhancing autonomous, lifelong learning skills amidst the evolving technologically advanced learning landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Eptinezumab holds important promise in treating migraine patients, but its ideal dose is unknown. This meta-analysis aims to compare the efficacy and safety of eptinezumab 300 mg versus 100 mg for migraine patients.Methods: Several databases including PubMed, Web of science, EBSCO, EMbase and Cochrane library databases have been systematically searched and we included the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of eptinezumab 300 mg versus 100 mg for migraine patients. This meta-analysis was conducted using the random-effect model.Results: Five RCTs and 1989 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with eptinezumab 100 mg in migraine patients, eptinezumab 300 mg was associated with substantially reduced monthly migraine days (MD=-0.50; 95% CI=-0.56 to −0.44; p < 0.00001), increased 75% responder rate (OR = 1.32; 95% CI = 1.07 to 1.62; p = 0.008) and 50% responder rate (OR = 1.24; 95% CI = 1.04 to 1.48; p = 0.02), but unraveled no remarkable influence on migraine 1 day after dosing (OR = 0.92; 95% CI = 0.72 to 1.18; p = 0.52), adverse events (OR = 1.07; 95% CI = 0.81 to 1.42; p = 0.62) or serious adverse events (OR = 1.60; 95% CI = 0.68 to 3.74; p = 0.40).Conclusions: Eptinezumab 300 mg was superior to eptinezumab 100 mg for the treatment of migraine patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we mainly explore the averaging principle of Caputo-type fractional delay stochastic differential equations with Brownian motion. Firstly, the solutions of this considered system are derived with the aid of the Picard iteration technique along with the Laplace transformation and its inverse. Secondly, we obtain the unique result by using the contradiction method. In addition, the averaging principle is discussed by means of the Burkholder-Davis-Gundy inequality, Jensen inequality, Hölder inequality and Grönwall-Bellman inequality under some hypotheses. Finally, an example with numerical simulations is carried out to prove the relevant theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Thurstone model is a common model for analyzing the paired comparison data. However, there is lack of asymptotic properties for the moment estimator of parameters in this model. Therefore, we prove uniform consistency and asymptotic normality of the moment estimator in the Thurstome model. Simulation studies and a data example illustrate the theoretical result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to policy changes in the context of COVID-19 pandemic, online teaching has become the main form of class in many Chinese universities. Flipped classroom has been widely used in other disciplines, but there is a dearth of evidence available about the use in online teaching of emergency medicine. This study aimed to develop a flipped classroom for online emergency medicine teaching and evaluate its effectiveness by comparing it with traditional lecture-based online teaching. A total of 62 clinical medical undergraduates from Jinan University participated in this study from September to December in 2022. An online flipped classroom approach was developed (FC group, n = 31). Traditional lecture-based online teaching was applied as a contrast (LBT group, n = 31). The undergraduates completed examinations and questionnaires at the end of the course. A course experience questionnaire and course examination score were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the flipped classroom approach. Regarding the five dimensions of the course experience questionnaire, the scores for good teaching (3.47 ± 0.50 vs. 2.34 ± 0.48, p <.001), appropriate assessment (3.31 ± 0.68 vs. 2.95 ± 0.71, p =.043) and generic skills (3.16 ± 0.60 vs. 2.72 ± 0.39, p <.001) were higher for the FC group than for the LBT group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in clear goals and standards, and appropriate workload. The undergraduates in the FC group showed significantly higher overall satisfaction than those in the LBT group (3.52 ± 0.1.03 vs. 2.87 ± 0.92, p =.012). The examination scores (77.936 ± 11.573 vs. 70.484 ± 7.434, p <.001), especially the scores for questions related to case analysis (33.032 ± 5.363 vs. 26.968 ± 7.657, p <.001), were significantly higher in the FC group than in the LBT group. The flipped classroom for online teaching was efficient in improving undergraduates' emergency medical academic performance and promoting the development of clinical case analysis ability. These findings provide an alternative flipped classroom approach for online teaching of emergency medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N95 respirators are the core equipment used by healthcare workers to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases. The protective effect of N95 against infection spread depends on the fit of the N95 to the wearer, which is related to the wearer's facial dimensions. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess the relationship between the fit of three types of N95 and facial dimensions. A total of 305 healthcare workers from ten hospitals in Beijing were recruited for this study. Facial dimensions of workers were measured using Intel RealSense Depth Camera D435. Fit testing was conducted on three types of N95 using the TSI-8038 Porta Count Pro + Respirator Fit Tester. Possible associations between the fit test results and facial dimension data were examined. A Porta Count reading of 100 was used as the criterion for an acceptable fit. The fit of the folding respirators was positively correlated with nose length (r = 0.13, p = 0.02), nose height (r = 0.14, p = 0.02), and face width (r = 0.12, p = 0.03), whereas that of flat respirators was correlated with nose width (r = 0.16, p < 0.01), chin length (r = 0.18, p < 0.01), and pro-face width (r = 0.13, p = 0.02), and that of arched respirators was correlated with the nose length (r = 0.13, p = 0.03). The fit of N95 for wearers depends on their facial features. The results of this study can provide advice for medical workers to choose the appropriate N95. Medical staff should fully consider their facial dimensions when choosing an appropriate N95 to improve the protective efficacy of respirators and to reduce the risk of infection by respiratory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rehabilitation robots with intent recognition are helping people with dysfunction to enjoy better lives. Many rehabilitation robots with intent recognition have been developed by academic institutions and commercial companies. However, there is no systematic summary about the application of intent recognition in the field of rehabilitation robots. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to summarize the application of intent recognition in rehabilitation robots, analyze the current status of their research, and provide cutting-edge research directions for colleagues. Literature searches were conducted on Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Medline. Search terms included "rehabilitation robot", "intent recognition", "exoskeleton", "prosthesis", "surface electromyography (sEMG)" and "electroencephalogram (EEG)". References listed in relevant literature were further screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. In this field, most studies have recognized movement intent by kinematic, sEMG, and EEG signals. However, in practical studies, the development of intent recognition in rehabilitation robots is limited by the hysteresis of kinematic signals and the weak anti-interference ability of sEMG and EEG signals. Intent recognition has achieved a lot in the field of rehabilitation robotics but the key factors limiting its development are still timeliness and accuracy. In the future, intent recognition strategy with multi-sensor information fusion may be a good solution. As a technology, intent recognition can become a part of rehabilitation, assist patients to complete daily life activities, and improve their quality of life. Rehabilitation training equipment for treatment usually adopts a relatively stable prediction method, which aims to stimulate the enthusiasm of users to participate in training. Functionally enhanced rehabilitation aids have high requirements for the timeliness of movement intent recognition, and its purpose is to assist patients to complete activities of daily life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathophysiology of diabetes has been studied extensively in various countries, but effective prevention and treatment methods are still insufficient. In recent years, epigenetics has received increasing attention from researchers in exploring the etiology and treatment of diabetes. DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs play critical roles in the occurrence, maintenance, and progression of diabetes and its complications. Therefore, preventing or reversing the epigenetic alterations that occur during the development of diabetes may reduce the individual and societal burden of the disease. Dietary flavonoids serve as natural epigenetic modulators for the discovery of biomarkers for diabetes prevention and the development of alternative therapies. However, there is limited knowledge about the potential beneficial effects of flavonoids on the epigenetics of diabetes. In this review, the multidimensional epigenetic effects of different flavonoid subtypes in diabetes were summarized. Furthermore, it was discussed that parental flavonoid diets might reduce diabetes incidence in offspring, which represent a promising opportunity to prevent diabetes in the future. Future work will depend on exploring anti-diabetic effects of different flavonoids with different epigenetic regulation mechanisms and clinical trials. • "Epigenetic therapy" could reduce the burden of diabetic patients • "Epigenetic diet" ameliorates diabetes • Targeting epigenetic regulations by dietary flavonoids in the diabetes prevention • Dietary flavonoids prevent diabetes via transgenerational epigenetic inheritance [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the specific mechanism by which mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) protect against sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI). Male C57BL/6 mice underwent cecal ligation and puncture surgery to induce sepsis and then received either normal IgG or MSCs (1 × 106 cells, intravenously) plus Gal-9 or soluble Tim-3 3 h after surgery. After cecal ligation and puncture surgery, the mice injected with Gal-9 or MSCs plus Gal-9 had a higher survival rate than the mice in the IgG treatment group. Treatment with MSCs plus Gal-9 decreased serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels, improved tubular function recovery, reduced IL-17 and RORγt levels and induced IL-10 and FOXP3 expression. Additionally, the Th17/Treg cell balance was altered. However, when soluble Tim-3 was used to block the Gal-9/Tim-3 pathway, the septic mice developed kidney injury and exhibited increased mortality. Treatment with MSCs plus soluble Tim-3 blunted the therapeutic effect of MSCs, inhibited the induction of Tregs, and suppressed the inhibition of differentiation into Th17 cells. Treatment with MSCs significantly reversed the Th1/Th2 balance. Thus, the Gal-9/Tim-3 pathway may be an important mechanism of MSC-mediated protection against SA-AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study determined the nitrous oxide emission factors (EF1, the percentage of N2O emitted as a proportion of fertiliser N applied) for fertilisers ammonium sulphate (AS), diammonium phosphate (DAP), and urea under the same field conditions. Trials were conducted on pasture soils across four sites (Waikato, Manawatu, Canterbury and Otago) in New Zealand during late autumn and spring of 2022. The average EF1 values for urea across all four sites were 0.128% (95% C.I., 0.023% and 0.249%) in late autumn and 0.136% (95% C.I., 0.031% and 0.259%) in spring. The corresponding EF1 values for AS were 0.125% (95% C.I., – 0.021% and 0.246%) in late autumn and 0.083% (95% C.I., 0.015% and 0.197%) in spring, while for DAP, they were 0.049% (95% C.I., – 0.044% and 0.157%) in late autumn and 0.090% (95% C.I., -0.009% and 0.205%) in spring. The mean EF1 values across all four sites and two seasons were calculated as 0.132% (95% C.I., 0.016% and 0.269%) for urea, 0.104% (95% C.I., – 0.008% and 0.235%) for AS, and 0.069% (95% C.I., – 0.036 and 0.194) for DAP. No significant differences in EF1 were observed between the three fertilisers (P > 0.05) at individual sites or when considering all four sites collectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathophysiology of diabetes has been studied extensively in various countries, but effective prevention and treatment methods are still insufficient. In recent years, epigenetics has received increasing attention from researchers in exploring the etiology and treatment of diabetes. DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs play critical roles in the occurrence, maintenance, and progression of diabetes and its complications. Therefore, preventing or reversing the epigenetic alterations that occur during the development of diabetes may reduce the individual and societal burden of the disease. Dietary flavonoids serve as natural epigenetic modulators for the discovery of biomarkers for diabetes prevention and the development of alternative therapies. However, there is limited knowledge about the potential beneficial effects of flavonoids on the epigenetics of diabetes. In this review, the multidimensional epigenetic effects of different flavonoid subtypes in diabetes were summarized. Furthermore, it was discussed that parental flavonoid diets might reduce diabetes incidence in offspring, which represent a promising opportunity to prevent diabetes in the future. Future work will depend on exploring anti-diabetic effects of different flavonoids with different epigenetic regulation mechanisms and clinical trials. • "Epigenetic therapy" could reduce the burden of diabetic patients • "Epigenetic diet" ameliorates diabetes • Targeting epigenetic regulations by dietary flavonoids in the diabetes prevention • Dietary flavonoids prevent diabetes via transgenerational epigenetic inheritance [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial heterodyne Raman spectroscopy has been widely applied in various fields due to its non-contact, nondestructive, fast, high stability, and high spectral resolution characteristics. This article integrated spatial heterodyne Raman spectroscopy with chemometric methodologies to assess the feasibility of peak-to-peak ratio regression, partial least squares regression, support vector machine regression, and non-negative matrix factorization for the quantitative analysis of mixtures. Chemometrics methods were used to model and analyze the interference data in the interferogram domain, and variational mode decomposition was used to extract features from the interference data, further improving the interference data's modeling and prediction accuracy. The results demonstrate that modal intensities obtained through variational mode decomposition of interference data improve the prediction accuracy of regression analysis. Support vector regression exhibited the most favorable predictive performance among the tested models. The root mean square error of cross-validation was reduced from 5.55% to 2.64%, and the prediction root mean square error was reduced from 5.08% to 1.5%. The improved model utilizing interference data showed higher fitting accuracy and more precise sample predictions compared to spectral data modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bilingual children often lag behind monolinguals on standardized measures of language acquisition, such as vocabulary tests. This bilingual lag could be related bilinguals' lesser experience with the target language relative to monolinguals. In this study, we predicted that sequential Mandarin-English bilinguals would perform worse than same-aged English monolinguals on a standardized measure of complex sentence production. As predicted, the bilingual preschoolers performed worse than age-matched English monolinguals. However, once English experience was covaried, there was no significant difference between the two groups. After controlling for age, we tested three predictors of complex sentence production: (1) English vocabulary, (2) verbal memory, and (for the bilinguals) (3) Mandarin vocabulary. For both bilinguals and monolinguals, English vocabulary and verbal memory were significant predictors. These results support the argument that experience with a particular language is highly predictive of children's ability to produce complex sentences in that language. Verbal memory is also an important predictor of individual differences in the ability to produce complex sentences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-pressure groundwater brings great challenges to the construction of mountain tunnels. Hence, controlling and discharging groundwater are two key problems that must be addressed before constructing tunnels in high-pressure and water-rich region. Fluid–solid coupling seepage analysis method is used to analyze the variation of displacement, stress and pore water pressure of the tunnel. A waterproof and drainage method suitable for tunnels in high-pressure and water-rich region is proposed. Curtain grouting plays a dual role in waterproof and reinforcing surrounding rock. Decompression drainage holes are designed in order to further reduce the pore water pressure acting on the initial lining. The thickness of grouting circle, the permeability coefficient ratio and the decompression drainage holes distribution rate of the initial lining are the main factors that affect the waterproof and drainage effect of tunnels in high-pressure and water-rich region. Suggested parameters on waterproof and drainage measures for tunnels in high-pressure and water-rich region are given after comprehensive analysis, which can provide basis for the technology on high-pressure groundwater treatments and constructions of underground engineering under complex geological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The front facia gives the car vivid features; accordingly, and an appropriate product personalisation degree (PD) can improve product branding, related to the appearance design, while avoiding excessive design features. This study investigates the effects of the car front facia PD on user perceptions and proposes design guidelines for vehicle designers and manufacturers. An open-ended experiment was conducted with 30 participants using 60 car fronts to study user emotions and preferences related to product personality based on questionnaire and physiological electrical signal evaluation results. The features were extracted using the chaos theory and cvxEDA algorithm. The obtained results indicate that the PD was consistent with user emotions. Furthermore, when the consistency between PD and user emotions is high, a significant variation in user preferences can be observed. Therefore, when designing high-PD products, the sub-item product personalisation degree (sub-item PD) should be carefully managed, considering the overall logic and coherence. Highlights Product personalisation degree is positively correlated with the subjective and objective emotions of users. The impact of product personalisation degree on user preferences and subjective emotions is not always the same, particularly pleasure and arousal. When product personalisation degree is highly correlated with the subjective and objective emotions of users, the user preferences are highly differentiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bicyclol is a hepatoprotective agent widely used for treating chronic hepatitis and drug-induced liver injuries in clinics. The purpose of the study was to elucidate the contribution of CYP450 enzymes to the metabolism of bicyclol using the relative activity factor approach. After incubation with human liver microsomes and recombinant human liver CYP450 enzymes, the calculated contribution of CYP3A4 and 2C19 to the metabolism of bicyclol was 85.6–90.3% and 9.2–9.7%, respectively. The metabolism was interrupted in the presence of CYP3A4 and 2C19 selective inhibitors. These findings help to predict or avoid metabolic drug–drug interactions or toxicity in clinical applications of bicyclol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The question of how to better prepare ethnic minority students to access higher music education has raised concerns around the world in terms of educational equity and cultural diversity. In China, despite similar concerns, little is known about the preparation process and experiences of ethnic minority students to take the Music College Entrance Examination (MCEE). In this qualitative case study, we investigated the facilitators and barriers faced by 22 high school students of Yi, Mongolian and Tibetan backgrounds while preparing for the MCEE in a multi-ethnic school in Sichuan province, southwestern China. The methods included participant observation and semi-structured interviews. The facilitators identified in the study were support from family members, local teachers’ devotion, positive peer influences and nationally renowned ethnic musicians as role models. The five main barriers were financial difficulties, parents’ misconception of the value of the MCEE, limited expertise of local music teachers, exam-oriented school climate and the MCEE’s structure based on Western classical music. Based on the findings, suggestions for adopting affirmative action and reforming the structure of the MCEE are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many observed that the rise of GenAI is causing an ‘erosion of trust’ between students and teachers in higher education. Such distrust mainly stems from concerns about student cheating, which is believed to be massively facilitated by recent technological breakthroughs in GenAI. Despite anecdotal discussions, little empirical research has explored students’ experiences with trust in the GenAI age. This study engaged university students in concept mapping activities followed by interviews to investigate how they navigate trust-building with teachers in this AI-mediated assessment landscape. The findings highlight an absence of ‘two-way transparency’ – while students are required to declare their AI use and even submit chat records, the same level of transparency is often not observed from the teachers (e.g. ambiguities around teachers’ grading process of AI-mediated work). The transparency issue reinforces teacher-student power imbalances and top-down surveillance mechanisms, resulting in a low-trust environment where students feel unsafe to freely explore GenAI use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the emergence of deep learning has improved the performance of automatic building extraction, there is still a long way to go before it can completely replace the labour-intensive manual delineation of building contours. To narrow the gap between building extraction results of deep learning methods and manual-level annotations, this paper introduces an interactive semantic segmentation framework that uses manual clicks as interactive information to guide the process of semantic segmentation towards the manual annotation level. In our framework, we first use an interactive semantic segmentation network for coarse building extraction from high resolution remote sensing images. Then, we use an optimization network to further refine the extraction results. We comprehensively compare the automatic deep learning methods, the proposed interactive building extraction framework, and the full manual delineation in practical experimental settings. First, our interactive method can significantly improve the performance of automatic building extraction. Second, by comparing the efficiency of manual annotation using the ArcGIS software and our interactive method, it is found that the proposed method can save more than half of the time. The above results show the potential of the interactive method in improving the efficiency of contour annotation and reducing the cost of manual annotation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBackground and objective: Cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) for somatoform disorders (SFDs) is understudied in China. Western findings may not be applicable to Chinese culture. This preliminary study evaluated the efficacy of CBT for patients in China, relative to treatment-as-usual (TAU). Methods: Seventy patients with SFDs randomly received either combined CBT and TAU (CBT + TAU), or TAU alone between January 2018 to May 2019. The CBT + TAU group received 12 weekly individual 50-minute CBT sessions. Participants were blindly assessed at 4 timepoints (baseline, week 6, end of treatment: week 12; 12 weeks post-treatment: week 24) using the following outcome measures: SQSS (Self-screening Questionnaire for Somatic Symptoms); PHQ-15 (Patient-Health-Questionnaire-15) and the WI (Whiteley Index); GAD-7 (General Anxiety Disorder-7); HAMD-17 (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17); Family Burden Interview Schedule (FBIS); Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS); and the Short Form of Quality-of-Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q-SF). The primary endpoint was the difference between the SQSS total score at week 24 and the baseline. A mixed model for repeated measures was used to analyze inter- and intra-group changes from the baseline. Results: At week 24, The least-squares mean (LSM) change of the total score on the SQSS was −18.87 points and −9.69 points, respectively in the CBT + TAU group and in the TAU group (LSM difference, −9.18 points; 95% confidence interval, −15.72 to −2.64; P = 0.0068). At week 24, the LSM changes from baseline in the WI, HAMD, PHQ15, FBIS and SDS total scores were significantly different between the two groups, however, there was no significant difference in the Q-LES-Q-SF. The SQSS of group effect sizes were 0.63 at 24 weeks. The dropout rates of the CBT + TAU and TAU groups were comparable (22.9% and 19.3%). Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest that CBT may be helpful for improving the symptoms of patients with SFDs in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At intersections where traffic demand is above capacity, reducing the number of signal phases may help operational performance. Alternative intersections may help achieve the reduction; however, retrofits to alternatives with two-phase signals may be impactful and unpopular. Our study evaluates five alternative signalized intersections with three critical phases, namely partial median U-turn intersection (MUT), partial continuous-flow intersection (CFI), a combination of MUT and CFI (MUT/CFI combo), reverse reduced conflict intersection (reverse RCI), and thru-cut. Three-phase designs may provide better capacity than conventional intersections with fewer impacts than two-phase intersections and, therefore, may be more palatable to stakeholders. A wide range of simulation scenarios were tested to evaluate the performance of the intersections using VISSIM and the Surrogate Safety Assessment Model. Based on the results, all three-phase designs outperformed the conventional design in terms of traffic operation. The partial CFI and MUT/CFI combo yielded the fewest conflicts among the designs evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]