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The energy problem in green manufacturing has attracted enormous attention from researchers and practitioners in the manufacturing domain with the global energy crisis and the aggravation of environmental pollution. The distributed blocking flow shop scheduling problem (DBFSP) has considerable application scenarios in connection with its widespread application in the industry under the background of intelligent manufacturing. A multi-objective discrete differential evolution (MODE) algorithm is proposed to solve the energy-efficient distributed blocking flow shop scheduling problem (EEDBFSP) with the objectives of the makespan and total energy consumption (TEC) in this paper. The cooperative initialisation strategy is proposed to generate the initial population of the EEDBFSP. The mutation, crossover, and selection operators are redesigned to enable the MODE algorithm as applied to discrete space. A local search strategy based on the knowledge of five operators is introduced to enhance the exploitation capability of the MODE algorithm in the EEDBFSP. The non-critical path energy-efficient strategy is proposed to reduce energy consumption according to the specific constraints in the EEDBFSP. The effectiveness of each strategy in the MODE algorithm is verified and compared with the state-of-the-art algorithms. The numerical results demonstrate that the MODE algorithm is the efficient optimiser for solving the EEDBFSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a new production pattern, the hybrid seru system (HSS) originated from the actual production scenario. In the HSS, the implementation of the worker transfer strategy can further enhance the system's flexibility but is rarely studied at present. In this paper, we develop a reinforcement learning driven two-stage evolutionary algorithm (RL-TEA) to address the hybrid seru system scheduling problem with worker transfer (HSSSP-WT). To conquer this complex problem, the HSSSP-WT is divided into worker assignment-related subproblems (WS) and batch scheduling-related subproblems (BS) according to the problem characteristics. To effectively solve the subproblems, a probability modelbased exploration and a lower bound-guided heuristic are presented for the WS, and a greedy search is designed for the BS. Meanwhile, to improve search efficiency and effectiveness, a knowledgebased selection mechanism is proposed to determine which subproblem group to optimise in each generation by fusing a reinforcement learning technique and a lower bound filtering strategy. Moreover, an elite enhancement strategy inspired by the problem property is designed to improve the solution quality. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the worker transfer strategy and the superior performance of the RL-TEA compared with the state-of-the-art algorithms in solving the HSSSP-WT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automated high-density storage systems (AHDSS) have attracted widespread attention in recent years owing to their advantages of high throughput and space utilisation. However, owing to the characteristics of large-scale, multi-disturbance, and short-period task scenarios, a system is required to make instant and efficient decisions. To this end, this paper proposes a data-driven real-time decision-making method to solve the real-time equipment scheduling and dynamic location assignment problem in AHDSS. The proposed method comprises two phases: decision scheme learning and real-time decision-making. The operation state attribute features of the AHDSS were constructed to generate training data for equipment scheduling and location assignment scheme learning. Thereafter, a hierarchical learning and decision-making mechanism based on the deep belief network (DBN) is proposed. The integrated learning of better scheduling solutions was realised by establishing three-stage models of lift selection, shuttle selection, and location priority. Additionally, the Taguchi method was adopted to determine the best performance parameters for DBNs at different learning stages. Compared with other well-known machine learning algorithms, DBNs have a higher learning accuracy. Finally, a real-world AHDSS problem is studied, and the results demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms existing dispatching rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chrononutrition, an emerging body of evidence on the relationship between biological rhythms and metabolism, has been established to be associated with glycemic responses. However, the available evidence is inconsistent, due to protocol variations. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the findings on chrononutrition characteristics and their association with glycemic responses among adults. Systematic searches were conducted across six databases (PubMed, EBSCO Host, ProQuest Central, MEDLINE & Ovid, Scopus and Web of Science) to identify all relevant studies published from January 2012. Two reviewers independently screened the abstracts and full-text articles based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Details about population characteristics, study methods and key findings were extracted following the PRISMA-ScR guideline. The quality of selected studies was evaluated using the mixed methods appraisal tool. The searchers identified 49 studies eligible for analysis. The results showed that meal timing, particularly night-time eating and snacking were associated with glycemic responses. Regarding meal regularity, skipping breakfast may affect glycemic responses, but no clear conclusion was drawn about its effect on insulin. The association between meal frequency and glycemic responses was inconclusive. Night fasting duration and restricted eating window are potentially associated with glycemic responses. The current review extensively investigates the association between chrononutrition factors and glycemic responses in adults. However, more prospective cohort and interventional studies are needed to better understand this causal-effect relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Candida albicans is a common fungal pathogen that can cause life-threatening infections. MIR1 is considered to be a mitochondrial phosphate carrier of C. albicans, while its role in virulence has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we found that mir1Δ/Δ mutant exhibited severe virulence defect in both nematode and murine models. Further mechanism studies revealed that the mir1Δ/Δ mutant grew more slowly than the wild-type strain and showed severe filamentation defects on the hypha-inducing agar media, including YPD + serum, Lee, Spider + glucose, SLAD, SLD, and YPS. Furthermore, the loss of MIR1 resulted in unfermentable carbon utilisation defect, ATP decrease, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in C. albicans. Antioxidant proanthocyanidins, vitamin E, and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) could reduce intracellular ROS levels and partially rescue the filamentation defects of the mir1Δ/Δ mutant. Accordingly, hypha-specific genes, as well as CEK1 and RIM101 were down-regulated in the mir1Δ/Δ mutant, and this down-regulation could be partially rescued by the addition of the antioxidant NAC. Collectively, MIR1 plays an important role in C. albicans mitochondrial function, filamentation and virulence, and would be a promising antifungal target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although digital transformation has aroused the interest of scholars and practitioners, how to reach a win-win situation between economic and carbon performance in the context of carbon neutrality has not been well addressed. Based on organizational information processing theory, this study investigates how digital transformation affects economic and carbon performance via low-carbon operations management practices (LOMP) and the moderating role of CEO ambivalence. We test research hypotheses using hierarchical regression analysis by collecting data from 297 Chinese manufacturing firms. Our results reveal that all three dimensions of LOMP mediate the impact of digital transformation on carbon performance, and low-carbon products mediate the impact of digital transformation on economic performance. In addition, CEO ambivalence weakens the impacts of digital transformation on three dimensions of LOMP. The findings extend the digital transformation and LOMP literature and provide theoretical guidance for managers to achieve the goals of economic development and carbon reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is now widely acknowledged as a low-grade inflammatory condition, in which the intrinsic immune system plays a significant role in its pathogenesis. While the involvement of macrophages and T cells in the development of OA has been extensively reviewed, recent research has provided mounting evidence supporting the crucial contribution of NK cells in both the initiation and advancement of OA. Accumulated evidence has emerged in recent years indicating that NK cells play a critical role in OA development and progression. This review will outline the ongoing understanding of the utility of NK cells in the etiology of OA, focusing on how NK cells interact with chondrocytes, synoviocytes, osteoclasts, and other immune cells to influence the course of OA disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) through inhibition of antigen presentation and subsequent reduction in T cell activation. Psoriasis relapse after antimalarial therapy have been reported in up to 18% of patients with psoriasis. Here, we explored the role of HCQ on exacerbating dermatitis utilizing an imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like dermatitis mouse model. Thirty-six C57BL/6 female mice were divided into six groups: wild-type control, IMQ-Only, pre-treat HCQ (30 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg HCQ), and co-treat HCQ with IMQ (30 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg HCQ). Besides control, all were topically treated with IMQ for 5 days. Pharmacological effects and mechanisms of HCQ were assessed by clinical severity of dermatitis, histopathology, and flow cytometry. HaCaT cells were co-treated with both HCQ and recombinant IL-17A, followed by the detection of proinflammatory cytokine expression and gene profiles through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and next-generation sequencing. In the pre-treated and co-treated HCQ groups, skin redness and scaling were significantly increased compared to the IMQ-Only group, and Th17 cell expression was also upregulated. Acanthosis and CD11b+IL23+ dendritic cell (DC) infiltration were observed in the HCQ treatment group. IL-6 overexpression was detected in both the HaCaT cells and skin from the experimental mice. Psoriasis-related genes were regulated after being co-treated with HCQ and recombinant IL-17A in HaCaT cells. HCQ exacerbates psoriasis-like skin inflammation by increasing the expression of IL-6, stimulating DC infiltration, and promoting Th17 expression in the microenvironment of the skin. This study provided possible mechanisms for inducing psoriasis during HCQ treatment through an animal model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the production process or environment, most products need to go through multiple production workshops, from raw materials to finished products. For example, a large structural part must go through a blanking workshop and a machining workshop. However, the research on the serial multi-shop cooperative scheduling problem is insufficient. Different from the single shop scheduling problem, the multi-shop scheduling problem can be regarded as a scheduling problem composed of multiple sub-problems. Therefore, optimisation processes between subproblems may be the key to solving this kind of problem. This paper focuses on the optimisation framework for the serial multi-shop cooperative scheduling problem. A specific serial dual-shop collaborative scheduling problem is abstracted from the production, whose first and second shop is the hybrid flow shop and the job shop, respectively. A disjunctive graph model of this specific problem is constructed. After that, four different optimisation frameworks are proposed, and testing instances are designed to compare these frameworks. Under different optimisation frameworks, the same tabu search algorithm with an efficient neighbourhood structure is used to optimize this problem. Finally, the optimisation results of different frameworks are compared and the results of each optimisation framework are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reinforcement learning-driven brain storm optimisation idea (RLBSO) is proposed in this paper to solve multi-objective energy-efficient distributed assembly no-wait flow shop scheduling problem. The objectives of the problem include minimising the maximum assembly completion time ( C max ), minimising the total energy consumption (TEC) and achieving resource allocation balanced. Four operations, which are critical factory insert, critical factory swap, critical factory insert to other factories, critical factory swap with other factories, are designed to optimise the objective of maximum assembly completion time. Q-learning mechanism is utilised to guide the selection of operations to avoid blind search in the iteration process. The learning mechanism based on clustering mechanism in brain storm optimisation algorithm is utilised to assign products to factories in the objective space according to the processing time of products to balance the resources allocation. The speed of operations on non-critical path is slowed down to reduce TEC regarded with the characteristics of no-wait flow shop scheduling problem. The experimental results under 810 large-scale instances by RLBSO show that the RLBSO outperforms the comparison algorithm for addressing the problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sagittatoside B is one of the principal diglucosides in Herba Epimedii. In this work, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS) was applied to the rapid analysis of sagittatoside B metabolites in rats after oral administration. A total number of 17 metabolites were detected or tentatively identified from rat plasma, bile, urine and feces. The major metabolic pathways of sagittatoside B in rats were hydrolysis, hydrogenation, hydroxylation, dehydrogenation, demethylation, decarbonylation and conjugation with glucuronic acid and different sugars. This work revealed the metabolism of sagittatoside B in vivo, and reported the characteristic metabolic reactions of sagittatoside B for the first time. This provided the basis for the further research and development of sagittatoside B, and also provided reference for the metabolism of active flavonoid compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the impact of compulsory disclosure regulations on the relationship between the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and firm-specific extreme risk. We used a difference-in-difference approach to solve endogenous concerns and found that the negative impact of the ESG score on extreme risk is more significant after announcing compulsory disclosure regulations. Additionally, we demonstrated that this effect becomes more substantial when firms issue green bonds. Finally, the subsample tests showed that the compulsory influence of the government is more evident in firms with high financial transparency and firms with low crash risk. Our empirical findings had policy implications for governments, regulators, and investors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon fibres (CF) are commonly used as carriers in biofilm-based wastewater treatment. The surface properties of the CF are herein modified using a combination of nitric acid oxidation and urea to optimise the carrier to immobilise bacterial cells. The capacity of the CF carriers to immobilise bacterial cells and activated sludge is evaluated using bacterial cell adhesion and sludge immobilisation tests. The total interaction energy profiles between the CF supports and bacterial cells were calculated according to the Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (DLVO) theory to explain the mechanism by which these modifications enhance this immobilisation capacity. CF-U has a high capacity for immobilising bacterial cells and activated sludge (3.7 g-sludge/g-CF supports) owing to its low total interaction energy. Nitric acid oxidation reduced the diiodomethane contact angle of CF from 55.1° to 38.5°, which reduced the Lifshitz-van der Waals interaction energy, while urea modification further increased the zeta potential of CF from 12.8 mV to −0.7 mV, thereby reducing the electrostatic interaction energy. Experiments and DLVO theory both determined that a combination of nitric acid oxidation and urea modification significantly enhanced the ability of CF to immobilise microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractLiquid metals are being investigated as coolants in many advanced reactor designs because of their high thermal conductivity and effectiveness at high temperatures. However, they often pose challenges to reactor operation and safety because of the complex thermal mixing and stratification in the plenum of pool-type reactor designs. The advanced system analysis code System Analysis Module (SAM) currently under development at Argonne National Laboratory aims to develop and implement thermal mixing models to accurately capture these complex thermal fluid behaviors. In this study, the SAM thermal mixing model was compared against experimental data from the Gallium Thermal-Hydraulic Experiment facility, a scaled liquid metal test facility that uses gallium as a surrogate fluid to investigate the stratification and thermal mixing of low-Prandtl-number fluids in the upper plenum of a liquid metal–cooled reactor. Two cold shock transient cases were used: one with stable stratified flow (Ri = 32) and one with stronger thermal mixing (Ri = 0.5). The resultant temperatures were then compared with the experimental temperatures over the entire plenum to assess the ability of the mixing models to capture the thermal behavior and to better correspond mixing parameters to various flow scenarios. Generally, the zero-dimensional mixing model was more capable of capturing the bulk temperature of the component modeled assuming that an accurate mass flow rate was provided, but it was inherently unable to capture thermal gradients in space. The one-dimensional mixing model was capable of capturing that the thermal gradients provided accurate selection of the mixing coefficients. The temperature at the outlet junction was compared over time for each of the mixing models with the recorded experimental temperature. The implemented mixing models demonstrated the ability to effectively capture the overall thermal behavior for stronger mixing scenarios but struggled with more stably stratified flows. It was found that a system analysis code’s covering of the entire range of different operating conditions still remains a challenging task, and it is suggested that further model and closure improvements are necessary to accurately capture complex thermal mixing and stratification phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a systematic review of flipped learning (FL) instructional principles and the technology acceptance model, this study examined the effects of instructional factors on students’ acceptance of and participation in FL activities in learning Chinese as the native language. The participants were 2684 primary and secondary school students in Hong Kong. Two questionnaires were used to measure students’ perceptions of FL instructional design and implementation in their Chinese language classes and their acceptance and participation in FL activities. Descriptive analysis indicated that students perceived a moderately high degree of consistency between the design and implementation of FL activities in their Chinese language classes and the various instructional principles of FL. Students’ perceptions about FL were positive and their intention to use this new approach to learn Chinese was high. Structural equation modelling showed that the quality of FL tasks significantly and positively affected students’ perceptions about the usefulness, ease of use, and enjoyment of FL, which, in turn, indirectly influenced their intentional and actual use of FL. The findings provide insights for improving students’ acceptance of FL as a novel learning approach within traditional language learning in school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study aimed to systematically investigate the impacts of virtual reality (VR) technology integrated with electroencephalogram (EEG) vibrotactile feedback on undergraduate students’ creativity performance, attention value, and cognitive load. 4P’s creativity model was adopted as the macro strategy, with cognitive load theory and constructivist theory serving as a micro strategy. A 2 × 2 quasi-experimental factor design was utilized. A total of 149 undergraduate students with varying spatial abilities were randomly assigned to an experimental group (using a VR interactive system with EEG vibrotactile feedback) and a control group (without feedback). Covariance analysis (ANCOVA) and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed to identify significant differences among the systems and examine interaction effects among variables. The quantitative results provided empirical evidence that the experimental group exhibited significantly higher levels of creativity performance and attention value than the control group. Furthermore, undergraduate students with higher spatial ability demonstrated lower cognitive load, superior creativity performance, and attention value compared to those with lower spatial ability. The study also revealed that the system positively impacts learning in university creativity education and holds promising potential for improving traditional VR interactive training systems. These findings contribute valuable insights for future research on the application of VR interaction technology and EEG technology in cognitive training for creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBreast cancer is the most common malignant tumor and a major cause of mortality among women worldwide. Atramacronoid A (AM-A) is a unique natural sesquiterpene lactone isolated from the rhizome of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz (known as Baizhu in Chinese). Our study demonstrated that AM-A triggers a specific form of cell death resembling PANoptosis-like cell death. Further analysis indicated that AM-A-induced PANoptosis-like cell death is associated with the CASP-3/PARP-GSDMD-MLKL pathways, which are mediated by mitochondrial dysfunction. These results suggest the potential of AM-A as a lead compound and offer insights for the development of therapeutic agents for breast cancer from natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the mediating effect of attitude toward older adults on the relationship between aging knowledge and willingness to care for older adults. We applied the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the knowledge-attitude-behavior (KAB) model as theoretical frameworks to examine the mediation effect of attitude toward older adults. Data from 388 Chinese nursing students were analyzed. The Willingness to Care for Older People (WCOP) scale, Kogan's Attitude toward Older People scale (KAOP) and Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ) were utilized to assess willingness, attitude and aging knowledge, respectively. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22. 0 with the PROCESS macro. Bootstrap methods were used to obtain the significance of mediating effects. The study showed that aging knowledge was significantly associated with willingness to care for older adults and that attitude toward older adults mediated the association. Bootstrapping method confirmed the significance of the indirect effect of aging knowledge through attitude, accounting for 18.9% of the total willingness variance. Overall, based on the TPB and the KAB theoretical framework, our data support the notion that improving aging knowledge and attitude may contribute to improve the willingness to aged care among nursing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to elucidate the longitudinal refractive and ocular biometric alterations in preschool children with high hyperopia who underwent early interventions. We conducted a retrospective analysis of preschool children diagnosed with high hyperopia at Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital between 2011 and 2023. Inclusion criteria required an initial examination with cycloplegic refraction, bilateral spherical equivalent power (SE) ≥ +5.00D with a difference <1.00D, a minimum two-year follow-up, and at least three ocular biometric measurements. The annual axial growth rate evaluated emmetropization in highly hyperopic children. We applied Restricted Cubic Spline (RCS) models to explore potential nonlinear relationships between age and spherical equivalent, axial length, corneal curvature, and axial length-to-corneal curvature ratio. Additionally, Mixed-effects models were employed to investigate factors associated with changes in refractive error and axial length. The study enrolled 60 eligible subjects, with a median initial diagnosis age of 3.5 years (IQR, 2.8-4.9 years) and a median last visit age of 9.3 years (IQR, 8.1-10.8 years). The average follow-up duration was 5.7 years. RCS analysis revealed notable nonlinear changes in spherical equivalent power, axial length, and axial length-to-corneal curvature ratio, although corneal curvature displayed no statistically significant nonlinear trend. Factors affecting SE changes included the presence of strabismus, the use of cycloplegia, baseline SE, and age. Conversely, changes in axial length solely correlated with baseline axial length and age. Highly hyperopic preschool children undergoing early intervention display a marked emmetropization tendency, though most still remain moderately to highly hyperopic, with the progression of refractive changes showing non-uniform patterns with respect to age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A super-compact ultra-wideband (UWB) microstrip band-pass filter (BPF) with triple-notched bands and wide stopband is proposed in this paper. The super-compactness of the proposed filter is achieved by integrating the modified SCRLH-TL UWB-BPF and backbone-shaped defected ground structure (DGS). The equivalent LC circuit models of the DGS and the modified SCRLH-TL UWB-BPF with the DGS are analyzed to validate their numerical simulation results. To introduce the triple notched-bands to mitigate the interference the two triple-mode SIRs are designed and loaded on the modified UWB-BPF without increasing the circuit size. The proposed filter was fabricated by using a conventional PCB process with the substrate of FR4. The measured 3-dB passband ranges from 2.8 through 10.2 GHz with the fractional bandwidth (FBW) of about 114%. The triple-notched bands with attenuation of more than 15 dB are measured at 4.4, 5.3 and 8.2 GHz, respectively. The filter exhibits a high selectivity with steep skirt property and has a wide upper stopband with an out-of-band rejection of −10 dB at 11.8−20 GHz. Its total dimension, including the rectangular substrate with feed lines, occupies only 16mm × 8 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This hospital-based, cross-sectional study aimed to explore the association between diet and fluctuating intestinal bacteria in early-stage colorectal cancer (CRC) (Atopobium parvulum, Actinomyces odontolyticus, Solobacterium moorei, and Bifidobacterium longum). Healthy participants (n = 212) who underwent total colonoscopy at National Cancer Center Hospital (Tokyo, Japan) were divided into two groups according to the relative abundance of bacteria in their feces: those in the top 25% of relative bacterial abundance as cases and the bottom 25% as controls. The participants were divided into three groups (low, medium, and high) according to their intake of food groups associated with CRC. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to estimate the association between dietary intake and higher relative abundance of bacteria. Dairy products were inversely associated with a higher relative abundance of A. parvulum, A. odontolyticus, and S. moorei, with odds ratios (high vs. low) and 95% confidence interval as follows: 0.16 (0.06–0.44), 0.25 (0.08–0.82), and 0.29 (0.11–0.78), respectively. Additionally, dietary fiber was inversely associated with a higher relative abundance of S.moorei (0.29 [0.11–0.78]). No association was observed between diet and B.longum. In conclusion, healthy adults with a higher intake of dairy products and fiber had lower odds of having a higher relative abundance of CRC-associated microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A variety of new feed ingredients are emerging in the aquaculture feed sector. While the technology readiness of these options varies across and within the new ingredient classes, it remains important to consider them in terms of the overall feed ingredient spectrum. In this review, the use of marine, grain, terrestrial animal by-product and a range of novel (e.g., bacterial and yeast) resources being considered as potential protein feedstuffs for use in aquafeeds is explored. In comparing the nutritional attributes of each of the ingredient classes, an assessment framework is applied based on understanding the critical knowledge required to be able to accommodate any ingredient in a formulation process. To further examine each of the different ingredient classes a Strength-Weakness-Opportunity-and-Threats (SWOT) analysis is applied, to enable some consideration of what future potential may exist across the spectrum and what risks and opportunities they may bring. It is noted that all ingredients have strengths and weaknesses, and that there is no such thing as the perfect ingredient. By better appreciating the positives and negatives of each ingredient, it becomes possible to increase adaptability in responding to the various opportunities for their use in feeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the numerical simulation and orthogonal test are combined to study the effects of blade outlet angle, blade inlet angle, and blade number on the centrifugal fan flow characteristics, stress distribution, and noise control. The experimental tests were carried out to confirm the accuracy of the computational model. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technology was used to establish 16 groups of impeller models and derive the optimal parameter combination form. The results show that the blade inlet angle and outlet angle have more significant effects on efficiency and flow rate of fans. Among different optimize structures, the A8 fan with an inlet angle of 60°, an outlet angle of 180°, and a blade number of 45, has the best aerodynamic performance, with a 17.4% increase in flow rate, a 3.3% increase in efficiency, a 7.6% reduction in noise and a 23.0% reduction in impeller stress, compared to the original fan. Reasonable adjustment of the inlet and outlet angles greatly improves fluid distribution and suppresses flow separation. Furthermore, the noise can be reduced by lessening the disturbance between the volute tongue and wake flow, so the flow state gets greatly improved at the volute tongue region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past, decisions on wastewater treatment methods have predominantly rested on expert opinions, utilizing the Delphi method. Yet, with an anticipated increase in diversification and customization, especially in the "small-batch and diverse" market over the next decade, addressing the formulation and execution of wastewater treatment for these non-traditional production processes will present substantial challenges. Relying solely on Delphi experts' decision-making within a short and time-constrained production planning window is expected to prove inadequate. Predominantly relies on the authors' over 15 years of industry experience in wastewater treatment, this perspective paper proposes an inventive solution that integrates Membrane Bioreactors (MBRs) with Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications. This approach signifies a more advanced method for industrial wastewater treatment compared to conventional methods, with the intention of garnering increased interest for future research endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raising children's myopia prevention awareness and behaviour tends to exhibits a protective effect against myopia among schoolchildren. To investigate the effect of an original myopia song in raising school children's awareness of healthier eye use behaviour and on myopia prevention. In this prospective randomised control study, two groups of students from one primary schools in Jiangxi, China, were enrolled and monitored from grade 3 to grade 6 (2016–2019). The primary outcome was the change in axial length (AL) after the intervention. Secondary outcomes included changes in spherical equivalent refraction (SER), near work and outdoor time, corrected near and distant visual acuity, visual discomfort score (VDS) and accommodative lag. Four hundred students (193 females, 48.25%) aged 9.3 (range 8–10) years with emmetropia to moderate myopia were enrolled. Children in the myopia song group had a significantly shorter AL and less myopic refractive change than those in the control group (p = 0.04 and 0.02, respectively). Compared with the control group, children in the myopia song group spent less time on near work and more time outdoors (p = 0.04 and 0.04, respectively). At the final follow-up, the proportion of children with myopia was significantly lower in the myopia song group (30.5%) than in the control group (41%) (p = 0.03). No significant differences were found for the secondary outcomes, including corrected near and distant visual acuity, VDS and accommodative lag. An original myopia song performed twice daily in primary schools appeared to have a modest effect on myopia control among school-aged children by changing their lifestyles in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a critical activity in occupational risk management, the occupational health and safety risk assessment (OHSRA) aims at assessing occupational hazards in the workplace and prioritizing them to ensure employees' safety and reduce occupational risk to an acceptable level. In this paper, we develop a new integrated OHSRA model for the risk evaluation and prioritization of occupational hazards based on probabilistic linguistic information and social network consensus analysis. The probabilistic linguistic term sets are applied to handle the hesitant risk evaluations of occupational hazards provided by experts. A combinative distance-based assessment technique is introduced for determining the risk priority of the identified occupational hazards. Additionally, the social network consensus analysis with minimum adjustment distance is used to help individual experts reach consensus. Finally, a healthcare case study is implemented for illustrating the developed OHSRA model and its effectiveness is validated with a sensitivity analysis and a comparative analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study intended to develop a new immunogenic cell death (ICD)-related prognostic signature for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. The Non-Negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) algorithm was adopted to cluster tumor samples based on ICD gene expression to obtain ICD-related subtypes. Survival analysis and immune microenvironment analysis were conducted among different subtypes. Regression analysis was used to construct the model. Based on riskscore median, cancer patients were classified into high and low risk groups, and independent prognostic ability of the model was analyzed. The CIBERSORT algorithm was adopted to determine the immune infiltration level of both groups. We analyzed the differential genes between cluster 4 and cluster 1–3 and obtained 12 genes with the best prognostic features finally (NLGN1, SLC30A3, C3orf20, ADAD2, ATOH1, ATP6V1B1, KCNQ2, MUCL3, RGCC, CLEC17A, COL6A5, and INSL4). In addition, patients with lower risk had higher levels of infiltration of most immune cells, lower Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) level and higher immunophenscore (IPS) level than those with higher risk. This study constructed and validated the ICD feature signature predicting CRC prognosis and provide a reference criteria for guiding the prognosis and immunotherapy of CRC cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the prevalence of prenatal depression and to determine the dyadic relationship between perceived stress, marital satisfaction, and prenatal depression in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and their partners. GDM during pregnancy is a very stressful event for couples. However, previous studies have largely focused on pregnant women, with few including their partners. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Guangzhou, China, from 30 July to 2 December 2021. Three hundred fourteen couples with GDM completed the Perceived Stress Scale, Locke–Wallace Marital Adjustment Scale, and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Dyadic analysis was conducted using the actor–partner interdependence mediation model. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 13.4% in pregnant women with GDM and 8.3% in their partners. Regarding the actor effects, perceived stress was positively associated with prenatal depression in pregnant women with GDM and their partners, respectively, and marital satisfaction acted as a mediating role. Regarding the partner effects, paternal perceived stress was negatively associated with maternal marital satisfaction, and maternal marital satisfaction mediated the association between paternal perceived stress and maternal prenatal depression. Dyadic effects of perceived stress, marital satisfaction, and prenatal depression exist in couples with GDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managers' attention to different risk factors conveys important information to investors. This paper examines the association between managers' risk attention allocation schemes and the performance of firms across different sectors. We innovatively use the text mining approach to measure the differentiation and decentralization of risk attention from textual risk disclosures reported in 65,878 10-K statements. The results show significant sector heterogeneity in managers' attention to different risk topics. For the consumer goods sector, managers with differentiated and decentralized topics can improve the company's profitability and solvency. In contrast, managers in the financial and healthcare sectors need to maintain topic attention concentration. In addition, we find that managers' attention to product approval, system security, and business impact has gradually increased over time to adapt to the internet economic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how consumers' willingness-to-pay (WTP) for green products affects the decisions made by the green supply chain players. Through the application of game theory and uncertainty theory, our findings show that a higher consumer WTP for green products usually leads to a higher retail price and market share of green products, which motivates retailers and manufacturers to invest more in green technology. We also find that an increased WTP for green products can spur retailers to reduce the optimal green cost-sharing rate due to the pressure of increasing costs. In addition, we find that retailers are willing to lower the cost sharing rate when the confidence level increases. Regarding the contributions made by this study, it is one of the first to explore the transmission mechanisms involved in the management of the green supply chain by linking consumers' WTP for green products to strategic decisions made by green supply chain players under conditions of uncertainty. Furthermore, our study could help green supply chain players to optimise the cost sharing mechanisms they use to generate more revenue, due to the increase in WTP for green products, which will in turn help to facilitate a low carbon economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a vital biological molecule, H2O2(Hydrogen Peroxide) is involved in different physiological and pathological processes. And in addition to this, H2O2 is suitable for medical wound disinfection, environmental disinfection and food disinfection. Accordingly, it is of high significance to conveniently and effectively detect H2O2 in the environment and organisms. This subject synthesised a fluorescent probe Pyrimidine-Se by using selenomorpholine and pyrimidine dye, which detect H2O2 in an aqueous environment. Pyrimidine-Se has a large Stokes shift (Δλ = 155 nm), which can specifically and quickly quantitatively detect H2O2. When the probe Pyrimidine-Se reacted with H2O2, the Se(II) in the selenomorpholine was oxidised to Se(IV), so the electron withdrawing ability of the electron withdrawing group of Pyrimidine-Se was improved, and the fluorescence intensity of the probe were enhanced. Interestingly, Se(IV) can be reduced by GSH (Glutathione) to Se(II) to quench the fluorescence, and this redox cycle can continue several times, which indicated that it can have a potential of real-time monitoring the redox state in vivo. The probe was also satisfactorily used to detect H2O2 in Argentina Bloodfin larvaes and abnormal H2O2 content in some organs was detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serum Cytokines Correlate with Pretreatment Body Mass Index-Adjusted Body Weight Loss Grading and Cancer Progression in Patients with Stage III Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy Followed by Surgery. Circulating cytokines have been linked to the development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and its associated malnutrition process. Nonetheless, given the varied disease stages and treatment modalities in previous studies, the clinical relevance of their findings is limited. We retrospectively studied 52 patients with stage III ESCC who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and curative-intent surgery. We investigated the association of clinicopathological features, pretreatment laboratory data, and pretreatment inflammatory status, as indicated by the levels of albumin, C-reactive protein, and 10 circulating cytokines, namely tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interferon-gamma, interleukin-1-beta (IL-1β), IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17A, and IL-23, with malnutrition, as shown by body mass index-adjusted body weight loss (BMI-BWL) grading, cancer progression. Half the patients showed severe malnutrition and high BMI-BWL grades (3 and 4). Multivariate analysis revealed an independent association between the levels of three cytokines (TNF-α, ≤ 5.8 pg/ml; IL-1β, > 0.4 pg/ml; IL-6, ≤ 12.4 pg/ml) and high BMI-BWL grades and between IL-4 levels > 22.5 pg/ml and cancer progression. All 10 cytokines were closely correlated with each other. In conclusion, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were independent markers of malnutrition status and IL-4 was a prognostic factor for cancer progression in this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis is a rare progressive disease characterized by abnormal smooth muscle cell proliferation leading to a diffuse cystic lung disease and extrapulmonary manifestations. Most cases are caused by mutations in the TSC1 and/or TSC2 genes, which are also associated with tuberous sclerosis complex. We describe a case of sporadic lymphangioleiomyomatosis with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and renal angiolipomas in a patient who tested negative for gene mutations on the TSC1 and TSC2 gene panel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractSewage sludge drying is a pivotal step in sludge reduction, harmlessness, and resource utilization. Pulverizing sewage sludge can significantly increase the surface area of sludge particles available for contact with the air medium, consequently strengthening the convective drying process of the sludge. In this paper, the adopted deep drying system mainly combined sewage sludge pulverization and sewage sludge drying functions. Parametric studies were carried out to investigate the effects on the drying process. The moisture content of the sewage sludge decreased from 50.3% to 26.8% when the linear speed of the rotating blade tip of the pulverizing dryer and induced draft fan reached 28.3 m·s−1, 62.8 m−1, and air velocity reached 9.5 m·s−1, respectively. Furthermore, this work also preliminarily reveals the mechanism of the pulverizing dryer. The pores on the sludge particle surfaces are destroyed during the drying process. As the linear speed of the rotating blade tip in the pulverizing dryer increased, the hydrophilicity and the average particle size of the sewage sludge particles decreased, with the particle size representing the highest volume fraction being reduced by 62% in the particle size distribution. The pulverizing dryer not only breaks up the sludge to increase the surface area of the sludge in contact with the air but may also have a centrifugal effect. As the intensity of the pulverizing dryer increases, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) measurements show a leftward shift in the peak of the weakly bound water in the sludge and a noticeable shortening of the transverse relaxation time. Overall, the results suggested that pulverizing is a suitable assistive method to improve the drying effect of the sewage sludge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjectivesMethodResultsConclusionTo systematically evaluate the effects of telehealth interventions on the caregiver burden and mental health of caregivers for people with dementia (PWD).Relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of telehealth interventions on caregivers were extracted from nine electronic databases (PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, SinoMed, CNKI, WanFang, and VIP). The retrieval time was from inception to 26 July 2023.Twenty-two articles with 2132 subjects were included in the final analysis. The meta-analysis demonstrated that telehealth interventions exerted a significant effect in reducing caregiver burden (SMD: −0.14, 95 % CI: −0.25, −0.02, p = 0.02), depression (SMD = −0.17; 95%CI: −0.27, −0.07, p < 0.001) and stress (SMD = −0.20, 95%CI: −0.37, −0.04, p = 0.01). However, no statistically significant effect was observed on anxiety (SMD = −0.12, 95%CI: −0.27, 0.03, p = 0.12). Moreover, subgroup analysis showed that tailored interventions were associated with more evident reductions in depression (SMD = −0.26; 95%CI: −0.40, −0.13, p < 0.001) than standardized interventions (SMD = −0.08; 95%CI: −0.22, 0.06, p = 0.25). In addition, telehealth was effective in relieving depression in Internet-based (SMD = −0.17, 95%CI: −0.30, −0.03, p = 0.01) and Telephone-based group (SMD = −0.18, 95%CI: −0.34, −0.02, p = 0.03), while there was no significant difference in the Internet and Telephone-based group (SMD = −0.18, 95%CI: −0.54, 0.18, p = 0.32).Telehealth could effectively reduce the burden and relieve the depression and stress of caregivers of PWD, while its effect on anxiety requires further research. Overall, telehealth has potential benefits in dementia care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAs compared with exogenous components, non-starch components (NSCS), such as proteins, lipids, non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs), and polyphenols, inherently present in cereals, are more effective at inhibiting starch digestibility. Existing research has mostly focused on complex systems but overlooked the analysis of the in-situ role of the NSCS. This study reviews the crucial mechanisms by which endogenous NSCS inhibit starch digestion, emphasizing the spatial distribution-function relationship. Starch granules are filled with pores/channels-associated proteins and lipids, embedding in the protein matrix, and maintained by endosperm cell walls. The potential starch digestion inhibition of endogenous NSCS is achieved by altering starch gelatinization, molecular structure, digestive enzyme activity, and accessibility. Starch gelatinization is constrained by endogenous NSCS, particularly cell wall NSPs and matrix proteins. The stability of the starch crystal structure is enhanced by the proteins and lipids distributed in the starch granule pores and channels. Endogenous polyphenols greatly inhibit digestive enzymes and participate in the cross-linking of NSPs in the cell wall space, which together constitute a physical barrier that hinders amylase diffusion. Additionally, the spatial entanglement of NSCS and starch under heat and non-heat processing conditions reduces starch accessibility. This review provides novel evidence for the health benefits of whole cereals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperspectral image unmixing gives increasing focus on the structural integrity of the spatial-spectral information. A large number of methods exploit the sparse and low-rank properties of the abundance vectors, abundance matrices and abundance maps, which are first-order or second-order structures, and are hard to preserve the integrated structure of the abundance. The abundance tensor formed by overlapping the abundance maps of endmembers sequentially is a more appropriate expression of the abundance. However, hyperspectral unmixing studies based on the abundance tensor are still in the minority, and most of these methods either inherently degrade the tensor structure to some extent, which is hard to distinguish the low-rankness of different dimensions; or are based on tensor decomposition methods, which always require a pre-estimation of the tensor rank, thus the unmixing accuracy depends on the rank estimation. In this article, we propose an unmixing model on tensor framework, in which the abundance tensor is approximated by a truncated Tucker tensor decomposition (TTD). Since the generated factor matrices are relatively low-rank, the low-rankness exploration of the abundance tensor is achieved potentially by this way. Moreover, we further improve the unmixing performance by a suitable rank estimation. The more flexible algorithm Tucker tensor decomposition with rank estimation for sparse hyperspectral unmixing (TTDRE) is proposed to differentiate the low-rankness of different dimensions of the abundance tensor while preserving the structural integrity. Experiments on synthetic and real data illustrate the effectiveness of our method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPurposeMaterials and methodsResultsConclusionTrial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier\nIMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONIndividuals who have experienced stroke may benefit from dual-task related training to improve gait speed performance. Whether noted improvements reflect true effects on gait or cognitive-motor trade-offs still remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of dual-task training on dual-task effects of both walking and cognitive domains in stroke survivors.Forty-four individuals with stroke were randomized to dual-task or single-task training groups. Both groups exercised three 60-minute sessions per week for 4 weeks. The primary outcomes were dual-task effects on gait speed and cognitive score. Outcomes were assessed before and after the intervention and 1-month follow-up.While both groups exhibited improvement in absolute gait speed under dual-task conditions, the dual-task training group demonstrated superior results by providing an additional gain on dual-task effects of gait speed. Compared to single-task training, dual-task training exhibited a significant improvement in dual-task effects of gait speed at post-treatment and follow-up. Regarding the dual-task effects on cognitive scores, no significant differences within and between groups after training were observed.Dual-task training enhances immediate and retained effects on the dual-task effects of gait speed in individuals with stroke, not by cognitive-motor trade-offs.URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov.NCT02686515Dual-task interference during walking has important consequences for stroke survivors to walk safely.Multimodal training with dual-task enhances immediate and retained effects on the dual-task effects of gait speed in individuals with stroke, not by cognitive-motor trade-offs.Clinicians are encouraged to incorporate multimodal training with dual-task into the exercise routines to enhance walking under dual-task conditions in stroke survivors.Dual-task interference during walking has important consequences for stroke survivors to walk safely.Multimodal training with dual-task enhances immediate and retained effects on the dual-task effects of gait speed in individuals with stroke, not by cognitive-motor trade-offs.Clinicians are encouraged to incorporate multimodal training with dual-task into the exercise routines to enhance walking under dual-task conditions in stroke survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe system thermal-hydraulic (STH) code SAM has been coupled to the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code Simcenter STARCCM+ utilizing a hybrid domain overlapping coupling method in space and an explicit coupling in time. The coupling aims to extend the STH code’s applicability to scenarios where local momentum and energy transfers are important yet difficult for STH standalone models to capture, such as three-dimensional (3D) mixing and thermal stratification. The coupling method’s numerical stability was previously verified against multiple test cases including two closed-loop configurations, and it was validated against a double T-junction experiment with 3D scalar mixing.In the present work, the method is validated against the TALL-3D STH/CFD coupling benchmark facility. TALL-3D is a liquid-metal facility with a large, pool-type enclosure (test section) that exhibits 3D flow effects to be modeled by a CFD code. The rest of the system exhibits approximately one-dimensional behavior that is well predicted by a STH code. First, a STAR-CCM+ CFD model of the 3D test section is validated against experimental temperature data. Then a SAM-STARCCM+ coupled model is validated against six different TALL-3D steady states and includes SAM standalone results for comparison. Last, the coupled model is validated against two TALL-3D transients: one exhibiting flow reversal in the test section and one exhibiting nonlinear, limit cycle oscillations (LCOs).For the first transient, the SAM-STARCCM+ coupled model properly predicts an increase in the test section’s inlet temperature during flow reversal, and this increase is not predicted by the SAM standalone model. The coupled model also better predicts initial flow recovery and subsequent oscillations as the system approaches a final natural circulation state. For the second transient, no true final steady state is observed due to LCOs. Neither the SAM-STARCCM+ coupled model nor the SAM standalone model can perfectly capture the experiment’s changing oscillation frequency during the transient. Nevertheless, the coupled model does reproduce the general oscillatory feedback observed.This is a significant achievement because the present coupling only uses an explicit coupling in time, as opposed to a tighter, semi-implicit coupling. In comparison, STH/CFD coupling efforts previously performed by other authors required a semi-implicit coupling to obtain similar results to this work. The strengths of the novel coupling scheme validated in the present paper lie in the superior convergence characteristics and the much simpler, nonintrusive implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn cereals, the protein body and protein matrix are usually two morphological protein structures. However, processing treatments can affect protein structures, change protein bodies into the matrix, or induce a change in the matrix structure; therefore, the processing-induced matrix was listed as the third morphological structure of the protein. Previous research on the effect of proteins was mainly based on protein content and composition, but these studies arrived at different conclusions. Studying the effect of protein morphological structures on sensorial property and starch digestion can provide a theoretical basis for selecting cultivars with high sensorial property and help produce low-glycemic index foods for people with diabetes, controlling their postprandial blood sugar. This study aimed to review the distribution and structure of protein bodies, protein matrices, and processing-induced matrices, as well as their influence on cereal sensorial property and starch digestion. Therefore, we determined the protein morphological structures in different cereal cultivars and summarized its impact. Protein bodies mainly have steric stabilization effects on starch gelatinization, whereas the protein matrix serves as a physical barrier surrounding the starch to inhibit water absorption and α-amylase. Processing can change protein morphological structures, enabling protein bodies to act as a physical matrix barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microscale research on tourism flows is crucial for controlling such flows, analyzing resource-carrying capacity, and promoting sustainable development in the tourism industry. Current fine-grained monitoring of tourism flows using location-based big data faces challenges, such as inadequate user representation, data acquisition difficulties and spatiotemporal uncertainty. This study presents a method for the spatiotemporal modeling and estimation of regional tourism flows based on the collaborative perception of discrete surveillance videos. The method employed bridges the gap between physical and video image scenes by establishing collaborative perception relationships among multiple devices, thereby enabling the precise modeling and estimation of the dynamic spatiotemporal processes of population movement in the region. Empirical studies in real scenic areas confirm the adaptability of this technology to diverse geographical scenes and ensure the accuracy of the spatiotemporal flow estimation. This study addresses the challenges of high sampling costs and low spatiotemporal accuracy in regional fine-grained crowd estimation and offers technical support for near real-time dynamic crowd modeling and monitoring. The experimental results have the potential to assist in applications, such as tourism flow management, dynamic regulation and the risk analysis of group activities in scenic areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pyro-hydrometallurgical process is proposed in this study for the selective arsenic removal and the Pb and Sb recovery from lead softening slag, which incorporates NaOH roasting followed by water leaching, carbothermic reduction, and HNO3 leaching as process steps. Lead softening slag, containing 63.9 wt% Pb, 17.7 wt% Sb, and 4.4 wt% As, is first roasted with NaOH at 400°C, followed by water leaching at room temperature. The effect of the roasting temperature and NaOH dosage is investigated with regard to the removal yield of As, Pb, and Sb. The arsenic-free slag is reduced with carbon for Pb recovery as the antimonial lead. The reduction temperature and carbon dosage are optimized by applying FactSage modeling and performing experimental tests for selective Pb recovery. The residual slag is leached with HNO3 solution for the further removal of Pb and enrichment of Sb. The chemical and phase composition of the final leaching residue is determined to assess the possibility of using it as a feedstock for antimony trioxide production. The proposed process flowsheet enables the recovery of Pb and Sb as antimonial lead and antimony trioxide, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The longer the baseline length of an airborne array synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is, the richer the ground object information can be resolved. The airborne array flexible SAR can overcome the limitation that the baseline length is limited by the belly length by attaching the antenna to the wing. However, fusing the airborne array flexible SAR distributed position and orientation system (POS) data under the wing and the belly is a major difficulty. To address this issue, the paper analyzes the inconsistency of airborne array flexible SAR data with a distributed POS and proposes a three-dimensional imaging method of airborne array flexible SAR based on distributed POS by fusing the Doppler centre, yaw angle and time of the observation data. By using distributed POS data, flexible data can obtain higher resolution than single-POS processing. The experiment of airborne array flexible SAR data proves the superiority of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deforestation, increasing urban development and associated infrastructure have resulted in widespread loss of roosting habitat for New Zealand's long-tailed bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus, pekapeka-tou-roa). As a result, artificial roosts are increasingly proposed as a short to medium-term mitigation measure, despite the absence of specific protocols for the installation, maintenance, and suitability for New Zealand bats. As of 2021, more than 110 artificial roosts had been installed in urban parks within Hamilton City, New Zealand. To determine their uptake and suitability for long-tailed bats, 74 Kent style roosts of varying ages were monitored for 1 year, with 24 (32%) roosts observed occupied by long-tailed bats. Occupation was generally infrequent, with no clear seasonal pattern or specific areas of occupation. However, two older roosts were consistently occupied, with numbers notably increasing during the summer maternity season. Distance to stand edge was the only factor that could be used to predict occupation, with logistic regression indicating that long-tailed bats may prefer roosts in less exposed areas with stable microclimates, within tree stands or sheltered landscape features. Future artificial roost installations should site roosts away from the stand edge in sheltered locations, ideally near natural or already occupied roosts to facilitate discovery and uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface damage of concrete induced by freezing and thawing (F-T) cycles in cold regions is characterised by peeling and pits as features of the damaged concrete surface, which needs characterising before repairing. A spot laser ranging system was established with high accuracy, and its ability to detect concrete surface features was evaluated. A 50 mm × 50 mm zone on a surface of C30 concrete specimen, with 2550 measurement points in it, was defined to obtain vertical displacements and other parameters. Mean vertical displacement of measurement points increase with F-T cycles. Effectiveness of the proposed method to characterise concrete surface damage is verified by significant regression relationship between mean vertical displacement and mass of scaling substances per unit area. Analysis of other parameters reveals that frost pit's depth increases within initial 8 F-T cycles, while its cross-sectional area increases in the subsequent 12 F-T cycles. However, in the final 8 F-T cycles, frost pit's cross-sectional area increases more significantly. Thus, the system is well performed in detecting frost pits on concrete surface non-destructively. The insights prolongate application of laser technology, which provides a new perspective to study the evolution of surface damage of concrete subjected to F-T cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hashtag activism is a common practice of digital feminism to challenge patriarchal orders. As the Chinese government has intensified its control over social media, a notable feature of the ongoing #MeToo movement is the absence of the hashtag itself. Within tightened state control online, how does hashtag activism build upon network connections to continue its impact without the hashtag? In this research, we compare the two largest sex scandals of 2021 involving prestigious male celebrities. We argue that online debates surrounding A-list celebrities' sex scandals have facilitated virtual spaces for public discussion on structural gender inequalities in both public and private domains, even without the obvious #MeToo hashtag. Consequently, public discussion has popularized feminist concepts to help articulate these events. However, besides online discourse using male celebrity misconduct as a conduit to disentangle the inner workings of patriarchal institutions, misogynistic media practices and decoupling media strategies, like emphasizing the cases' non-Chineseness, have been equally rampant to divert public attention. This article delineates the latest endeavors of Chinese digital feminism and reveals its promises and pitfalls when rallying online activism without a hashtag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Icebergs are big chunks of ice floating on the ocean surface, and melting of icebergs contributes for the major part of freshwater flux into ocean. Dynamic monitoring of the icebergs in Antarctica and accurate estimation of their volume are important for predicting the trend of freshwater budget of the Southern Ocean. The iceberg freeboard is a key parameter for measuring the thickness and volume of an iceberg and is defined as the difference between the elevation of iceberg surface and sea level. So far, freeboards of icebergs have been successfully extracted using InSAR DEM, and the laser and radar altimeter. However, uncertainties exist in these results mainly caused by missed detection of small icebergs due to the spatially sparse and temporally incomplete data coverage. In addition to the above techniques, optical images can also be used to extract the iceberg freeboard based on its geometric relationship with shadow length, which can effectively compensate for the above shortcomings. Although the feasibility has been preliminarily presented, the precision and extensive application of shadow-height method deserves further research, such as estimating the basal melting of icebergs. In this work, we tested an optical image-based freeboard extraction method over icebergs in Prydz Bay, Antarctica. A normalized shadow pixel index (NSPI) is designed to identify iceberg shadows with different shapes in HY-1C/D CZI and Sentinel-2 MSI optical images. The iceberg freeboard can be determined with an acceptable precision (2 m) in optical images compared with laser altimeter (i.e. ICESat-2) measurements. Moreover, basal melting of icebergs has been assessed according to the variation of freeboard using repeated optical observations. The results indicate that icebergs in the study area were with a mean freeboard of about 56 m in early December 2022, and experienced a decrease in freeboard of 1.9 m within two months, in correspondence with the Antarctic seasonal trend. The methodological framework, therefore, turns out to be a reliable complementary approach to studying the iceberg freeboard in polar regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drying process is a crucial stage in the thermal treatment of iron ore pellets in a straight grate, as it has a direct impact on pellet quality and energy consumption. Consequently, this paper develops a simulation model for the pellet bed drying process, which is validated through industrial data and enables the visualization of temperature and moisture distribution within the pellet bed. Based on the simulation model, an optimization model for the drying process is developed to minimize the specific energy consumption per tonne of green pellets. The constraints of the drying process are the moisture content requirements and burst temperature. A genetic algorithm is employed to optimize the parameters such as trolley speed, pellet bed thickness, air temperature, and air pressure. The results show that, with an absolute error criterion of 10 °C, the temperature calculation accuracy of the simulation model exceeds 86%, effectively describing the drying process in a straight grate sintering machine. Under yield limitations, the optimal cumulative energy consumption per tonne of green pellet is reduced by 1.50% during the drying process. Finally, a simulation and optimization system for the drying process in the straight grate is implemented in C++. This system not only generates essential data for designing the drying section in a straight grate but also lays a theoretical foundation for system optimization and optimal control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since December 2022, the Omicron variant has led to a widespread pandemic in China. The study was to explore the safety and effectiveness of Paxlovid for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We included patients at risk of developing severe COVID-19, all of whom exhibited mild to moderate symptoms and were admitted to three hospital centers. Patients were divided into two groups: one received Paxlovid alongside standard care, while the other was given only standard care. We compared clinical characteristics, hospital stay duration, and clinical outcomes between two groups. Multi-factor analysis determined the independent risk factors influencing the duration of hospitalization and disease progression. In the study, those treated with Paxlovid shorter hospital stays than those in the control group (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that the absence of Paxlovid treatment was a distinct risk factor for hospitalizations lasting over 7 days (OR: 4.983, 95% CI: 3.828–6.486, p < 0.001) and 14 days (OR: 2.940, 95% CI: 2.402–3.597, p < 0.001). Amid the Omicron outbreak, Paxlovid has proven to be a safe and effective treatment for reducing hospitalization durations for patients with mild to moderate COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]