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Summary: Buildings worldwide, which represent the final piece to be addressed in the transition to carbon neutrality, require a multisectoral, comprehensive strategy for decarbonization. We provide an overview of the current global status and features of carbon emissions associated with buildings, then outline pathways and steps to achieving carbon neutrality by mid-century. By synergizing technical innovation, encompassing advanced building technologies and renewable energy solutions, with robust financial support mechanisms, we can expedite the widespread adoption of building electrification and energy system decarbonization. This integrated approach stands as the most practical and effective strategy for decarbonizing building operations. Vital measures for reducing embodied carbon include constraining the building stock growth, decarbonizing materials, and extending building lifetimes. We emphasize the importance of raising awareness of building carbon emissions among governments, residents, and other stakeholders. Understanding the challenges and the urgent need for action is crucial to achieving carbon neutrality in the building sector.

Abstract Photosynthesis, essential for life on earth, sustains diverse processes by providing nutrition in plants and microorganisms. Especially, photosynthesis is increasingly applied in disease treatments, but its efficacy is substantially limited by the well‐known low penetration depth of external light. Here, ultrasound‐mediated photosynthesis is reported for enhanced sonodynamic tumor therapy using organic sonoafterglow (ultrasound‐induced afterglow) nanoparticles combined with cyanobacteria, demonstrating the proof‐of‐concept sonosynthesis (sonoafterglow‐induced photosynthesis) in cancer therapy. Chlorin e6, a typical small‐molecule chlorine, is formulated into nanoparticles to stimulate cyanobacteria for sonosynthesis, which serves three roles, i.e., overcoming the tissue‐penetration limitations of external light sources, reducing hypoxia, and acting as a sonosensitizer for in vivo tumor suppression. Furthermore, sonosynthetic oxygenation suppresses the expression of hypoxia‐inducible factor 1α, leading to reduced stability of downstream SLC7A11 mRNA, which results in glutathione depletion and inactivation of glutathione peroxidase 4, thereby inducing ferroptosis of cancer cells. This study not only broadens the scope of microbial nanomedicine but also offers a distinct direction for sonosynthesis.

Abstract BackgroundSexual transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM) has become the major HIV transmission route. However, limited research has been conducted to investigate the association between transactional sex (TS) and HIV incidence in China. ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate HIV incidence and distinguish sociodemographic and sexual behavioral risk factors associated with HIV incidence among MSM who engage in TS (MSM-TS) in China. MethodsWe conducted a prospective cohort study using a WeChat-based platform to evaluate HIV incidence among Chinese MSM, including MSM-TS in Ningbo, recruited from July 2019 until June 2022. At each visit, participants completed a questionnaire and scheduled an appointment for HIV counseling and testing on the WeChat-based platform before undergoing offline HIV tests. HIV incidence density was calculated as the number of HIV seroconversions divided by person-years (PYs) of follow-up, and univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression was conducted to identify factors associated with HIV incidence. ResultsA total of 932 participants contributed 630.9 PYs of follow-up, and 25 HIV seroconversions were observed during the study period, resulting in an estimated HIV incidence of 4.0 (95% CI 2.7-5.8) per 100 PYs. The HIV incidence among MSM-TS was 18.4 (95% CI 8.7-34.7) per 100 PYs, which was significantly higher than the incidence of 3.2 (95% CI 2.1-5.0) per 100 PYs among MSM who do not engage in TS. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, factors associated with HIV acquisition were MSM-TS (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 3.93, 95% CI 1.29-11.93), having unprotected sex with men (aHR 10.35, 95% CI 2.25-47.69), and having multiple male sex partners (aHR 3.43, 95% CI 1.22-9.64) in the past 6 months. ConclusionsThis study found a high incidence of HIV among MSM-TS in Ningbo, China. The risk factors associated with HIV incidence include TS, having unprotected sex with men, and having multiple male sex partners. These findings emphasize the need for developing targeted interventions and providing comprehensive medical care, HIV testing, and preexposure prophylaxis for MSM, particularly those who engage in TS.

Abstract In the rate‐state friction law framework, the transition from velocity weakening (V‐W) to velocity strengthening (V‐S) behavior marks the base of the seismogenic crust. Here we investigate the role of fault slip displacement under hydrothermal conditions in controlling the V‐W to V‐S transition. We shear simulated gabbro gouges at slip velocities ranging from 16 nm/s (∼50 cm/year) to 10 μm/s (∼8 cm/day) under hydrothermal conditions (300–400°C temperature; 30 MPa pore fluid pressure). We observe that cumulative fault slip increases the critical velocity for the V‐W to V‐S transition. The transition is accompanied by localized to distributed deformation mode, the formation of smectite‐type clays and occurrence of intergranular mass transfer. Our results provide insights into understanding the deepening and shallowing of V‐W/V‐S boundary (lower limit of the seismogenic zone) following a mainshock. Besides strain rate effects, slip‐enhanced chemical alteration and grain size‐sensitive deformation may temporarily contribute to the shallowing process.

BackgroundCholelithiasis or cholecystectomy may contribute to the development of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Barrett’s esophagus (BE), and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) through bile reflux; however, current observational studies yield inconsistent findings. We utilized a novel approach combining meta-analysis and Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, to assess the association between them.MethodsThe literature search was done using PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases, up to 3 November 2023. A meta-analysis of observational studies assessing the correlations between cholelithiasis or cholecystectomy, and the risk factors for GERD, BE, and EACwas conducted. In addition, the MR analysis was employed to assess the causative impact of genetic pre-disposition for cholelithiasis or cholecystectomy on these esophageal diseases.ResultsThe results of the meta-analysis indicated that cholelithiasis was significantly linked to an elevated risk in the incidence of BE (RR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.37–2.29; p

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced during the growth, storage, and transportation of crops contaminated by fungi and are physiologically toxic to humans and animals. Aflatoxin, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, ochratoxin, patulin, and fumonisin are the most common mycotoxins and can cause liver and nervous system damage, immune system suppression, and produce carcinogenic effects in humans and animals that have consumed contaminated food. Physical, chemical, and biological methods are generally used to detoxify mycotoxins. Although physical methods, such as heat treatment, irradiation, and adsorption, are fast and simple, they have associated problems including incomplete detoxification, limited applicability, and cause changes in food characteristics (e.g., nutritive value, organoleptic properties, and palatability). Chemical detoxification methods, such as ammonification, ozonation, and peroxidation, pollute the environment and produce food safety risks. In contrast, bioenzymatic methods are advantageous as they achieve selective detoxification and are environmentally friendly and reusable; thus, these methods are the most promising options for the detoxification of mycotoxins. This paper reviews recent research progress on common mycotoxins and the enzymatic principles and mechanisms for their detoxification, analyzes the toxicity of the degradation products and describes the challenges faced by researchers in carrying out enzymatic detoxification. In addition, the application of enzymatic detoxification in food and feed is discussed and future directions for the development of enzymatic detoxification methods are proposed for future in-depth study of enzymatic detoxification methods.

Musculoskeletal disorders, especially chronic muscle pain, have a significant impact on public health, affecting millions worldwide. This review examines recent advancements in the diagnosis and management of myofascial pain, with a focus on the refined application of trigger point theory. This theory now incorporates an intricate model that blends biomechanical and neurophysiological mechanisms, essential for understanding the initiation and persistence of pain, and necessitating targeted therapeutic interventions. Utilizing a methodical approach, this paper categorizes muscle pain into three types: Muscle Belly Pain, Origin-Insertion Pain, and Referred Pain, as delineated in the most recent edition of “Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction—The Trigger Point Manual.” Such classification enhances diagnostic precision and therapeutic effectiveness by establishing a specific treatment protocol for each type of pain. The paper discusses the implications of various treatments, such as dry needling and manual therapy, which are informed by empirically derived trigger point charts. These charts are instrumental in pinpointing the exact locations of pain sources and customizing treatment plans. Moreover, this review critically assesses the evolving nature of trigger point charts and champions a holistic approach to pain management. It underscores the necessity of integrating biomechanics, kinesiology, and compensatory mechanisms to provide a comprehensive understanding that allows practitioners to address not only symptomatic pain but also the root causes of musculoskeletal disorders, thereby enhancing long-term patient care outcomes in clinical environments.

Injuries of the posterior root of the medial meniscus can be accompanied by damage to the anterior cruciate ligament or often occur independently in cases of degenerative meniscal injury in older individuals. Anchor suture repair can achieve favorable biomechanical effects and clinical outcomes. However, anchor placement is technically challenging and requires a posterior medial approach, which increases the risk of iatrogenic injury. To address these issues, we have utilized the reverse anchor technique to repair the posterior root of the medial meniscus. This technique offers advantages such as reduced surgical time, simplified operation, and reduced risk of the “bungee effect” and iatrogenic injury.

Fluorinated carbon (CFx) compounds have extensive applications in lithium primary battery cathodes owing to their high energy density. In this investigation, a novel CFx compound offering superior electrochemical properties was synthesized via a low-temperature fluorination process, utilizing Pluronic F127 as a template agent and microporous carbon spheres produced through soft template-assisted high-temperature carbonization and chemical activation as precursors, and by regulating the amount of soft template F127 added. The reduction in microsphere size, narrower particle size distribution, and introduction of defects contribute to augmenting the molar ratio of F to C (F/C) of CFx while preserving the electrochemical activity of C-F bonds. The specific capacity of fluorinated polymer-derived microporous carbon spheres (FPMCSs) with a high fluorination degree rivals that of commercial fluorinated graphite (FG). The microsphere morphology and microporous structure not only furnish abundant sites for fluorination reactions in electrode processes but also facilitate Li+ diffusion, ensuring ample rate capability. The synthesized FPMCSs exhibited a peak specific capacity of 1079 mAh g–1 and a maximum energy density of 2679 Wh kg–1 (substantially surpassing the 2180 Wh kg–1 of commercial FG). Hence, the prepared FPMCSs underscore the significance of selecting suitable carbonaceous materials and designing structures deliberately, showing promising potential for achieving high energy density in CFx cathodes in the future, employing readily available and cost-effective raw materials.

Along with the development of 5G network and Internet of Things technologies, there has been an explosion in personalized healthcare systems. When the 5G and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is introduced into diabetes management architecture, it can increase the efficiency of existing systems and complications of diabetes can be handled more effectively by taking advantage of 5G. In this article, we propose a 5G-based Artificial Intelligence Diabetes Management architecture (AIDM), which can help physicians and patients to manage both acute complications and chronic complications. The AIDM contains five layers: the sensing layer, the transmission layer, the storage layer, the computing layer, and the application layer. We build a test bed for the transmission and application layers. Specifically, we apply a delay-aware RA optimization based on a double-queue model to improve access efficiency in smart hospital wards in the transmission layer. In application layer, we build a prediction model using a deep forest algorithm. Results on real-world data show that our AIDM can enhance the efficiency of diabetes management and improve the screening rate of diabetes as well.

Aiming at the practical application of Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) in underwater combat, this paper proposes a battlefield ambush scene with UUV considering ocean current. Firstly, by establishing these mathematical models of ocean current environment, target movement, and sonar detection, the probability calculation methods of single UUV searching target and multiple UUV cooperatively searching target are given respectively. Then, based on the Hybrid Quantum-behaved Particle Swarm Optimization (HQPSO) algorithm, the path with the highest target search probability is found. Finally, through simulation calculations, the influence of different UUV parameters and target parameters on the target search probability is analyzed, and the minimum number of UUVs that need to be deployed to complete the ambush task is demonstrated, and the optimal search path scheme is obtained. The method proposed in this paper provides a theoretical basis for the practical application of UUV in the future combat.

To investigate the effects of different aging times on the volatile flavor substances of rosy vinegar, headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) were used to investigate the physicochemical and volatile flavor components of fresh, one-year-old, three-year-old and ten-year-old samples. The results showed that the content of reducing sugars and amino acid nitrogen increased during aging, and promoted the flavor and color development of rosy vinegar. A total of 79 volatile flavor substances were detected in rosy vinegar by HS-SPME-GC-MS, among which most of the esters were degraded during aging, while the content of carbonyl compounds and pyrazines increased significantly during aging. 13 volatile compounds with odor activity value greater than 1 were calculated in rosy vinegar by odor threshold value, and the main odor-presenting compounds differed in different aging periods. Principal component and cluster analyses revealed significant separation among the rosy vinegar samples at different aging periods, indicated that the aging time has an important influence on the composition of volatile substances in rosy vinegar.

Different porous structures were studied through finite element analysis and then optimal porous structure was selected for the orthopedic applications. The optimal Voronoi structure was designed and fabricated using 3D printing. The mechanical properties and osseointegration ability were both investigated. The mechanical tests showed that the tensile strength, compressive strength and bending strength of Voronoi structures were obviously higher than that of the human bone, and the modulus of Voronoi structures were similar to human bone. In addition, the animal experimental results exhibited that obvious bone ingrowth was found from Month 1 to Month 6. This study provides some theoretical references for the orthopedic application of porous structures.

Cardiac motion tracking from echocardiography can be used to estimate and quantify myocardial motion within a cardiac cycle. It is a cost-efficient and effective approach for assessing myocardial function. However, ultrasound imaging has the inherent characteristics of spatially low resolution and temporally random noise, which leads to difficulties in obtaining reliable annotation. Thus it is difficult to perform supervised learning for motion tracking. In addition, there is no end-to-end unsupervised method currently in the literature. This paper presents a motion tracking method where unsupervised optical flow networks are designed with spatial reconstruction loss and temporal-consistency loss. Our proposed loss functions make use of the pair-wise and temporal correlation to estimate cardiac motion from noisy background. Experiments using a synthetic 4D echocardiography dataset has shown the effectiveness of our approach, and its superiority over existing methods on both accuracy and running speed.

The sixth-generation (6G) network is expected to provide both communication and sensing (C&S) services. However, spectrum scarcity poses a major challenge to the harmonious coexistence of C&S systems. Without effective cooperation, the interference resulting from spectrum sharing impairs the performance of both systems. This paper addresses C&S interference within a distributed network. Different from traditional schemes that require pilot-based high-frequency interactions between C&S systems, we introduce a third party named the radio map to provide the large-scale channel state information (CSI). With large-scale CSI, we optimize the transmit power of C&S systems to maximize the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) for the radar detection, while meeting the ergodic rate requirement of the interfered user. Given the non-convexity of both the objective and constraint, we employ the techniques of auxiliary-function-based scaling and fractional programming for simplification. Subsequently, we propose an iterative algorithm to solve this problem. Simulation results corroborate our idea that the extrinsic information, i.e., positions and surroundings, is effective to decouple C&S interference.

Quick response to disasters is crucial for saving lives and reducing loss. This requires low-latency uploading of situation information to the remote command center. Since terrestrial infrastructures are often damaged in disaster areas, non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) are preferable to provide network coverage, and mobile edge computing (MEC) could be integrated to improve the latency performance. Nevertheless, the communications and computing in MEC-enabled NTNs are strongly coupled, which complicates the system design. In this paper, an edge information hub (EIH) that incorporates communication, computing and storage capabilities is proposed to synergize communication and computing and enable systematic design. We first address the joint data scheduling and resource orchestration problem to minimize the latency for uploading sensing data. The problem is solved using an optimal resource orchestration algorithm. On that basis, we propose the principles for resource configuration of the EIH considering payload constraints on size, weight and energy supply. Simulation results demonstrate the superiority of our proposed scheme in reducing the overall upload latency, thus enabling quick emergency rescue.

The sixth-generation (6G) network is envisioned to shift its focus from the service requirements of human beings to those of Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices. Satellite communications are indispensable in 6G to support IoT devices operating in rural or disaster areas. However, satellite networks face the inherent challenges of low data rate and large latency, which may not support computationintensive and delay-sensitive IoT applications. Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) is a burgeoning paradigm by extending cloud computing capabilities to the network edge. Using MEC technologies, the resourcelimited IoT devices can access abundant computation resources with low latency, which enables the highly demanding applications while meeting strict delay requirements. Therefore, an integration of satellite communications and MEC technologies is necessary to better enable 6G IoT. In this survey, we provide a holistic overview of satellite-MEC integration. We first categorize the related studies based on three minimal structures and summarize current advances. For each minimal structure, we discuss the lessons learned and possible future directions. We also summarize studies considering the combination of minimal structures. Finally, we outline potential research issues to envision a more intelligent, more secure, and greener integrated satellite-MEC network.

Abstract Purpose The clinical aspects and prognosis of eyes with endogenous endophthalmitis were compared over the last ten years. The occurrence and progression of endophthalmitis are linked to the systemic immune inflammation index (SII) and clinical features. Methods The study comprised patients with endogenous endophthalmitis and 64 patients without endophthalmitis who were treated at Hebei Province Eye Hospital in the last ten years. According to the prognostic visual acuity, patients with endophthalmitis were split into two groups: Group A and Group B. Underlying disease (hypertension, diabetes, tuberculosis), infection risk (liver abscess, urinary tract infection, and recent abdominal surgery), signs and symptoms, and complete blood count were among the evaluation parameters (neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, monocyte count, platelet count, red blood cell distribution width). The NLR, PLR, MLR, and SII values were calculated. A nonparametric test was used to examine the clinical features and complete blood count results of patients in each group. To determine the parameters linked to endophthalmitis progression, researchers used principal component and ordinal logistic regression analyses. Results The study comprised a total of 25 eyes and 22 individuals with endogenous endophthalmitis. Infectious bacteria included Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus hemolyticus, and so on. The visual acuity of the affected eye ranged from 2.7 (1.55, 2.7) LogMAR to 1.22 (0.6, 2.7) LogMAR during the 6-month to 8-year follow-up period. The neutrophil, monocyte, and PLT counts, NLR, PLR, and SII values and other markers were considerably higher in Groups A and B than in the control group. The likelihood model of the SII and sex, age, onset time, diabetes, hypertension, monocyte count, and red blood cell distribution was the best, and its increase was strongly connected with the occurrence and progression of endophthalmitis, according to ordinal regression analysis. Conclusion Patients with endophthalmitis had significantly higher blood neutrophil, monocyte, and PLT counts and SII, NLR, PLR, and MLR values. The SII can be employed as a biomarker for predicting endophthalmitis severity and prognosis.

Abstract Objective To investigate the association between circulating secretoneurin (SN) and angiographic coronary collateralization in stable angina patients with chronic coronary total occlusion (CTO). Methods SN concentrations in serum were measured in 641 stable angina patients with CTO by radioimmunoassay. The status of coronary collaterals from the contra-lateral vessel was visually estimated using the Rentrop grading system, and was categorized into poor (grade 0 or 1) or good (grade 2 or 3) collateralization. Results Serum SN levels were significantly higher in patients with good coronary collaterals compared to those with poor collaterals (175.23 ± 52.09 pmol/L vs. 143.29 ± 42.01 pmol/L, P

Abstract Background Total knee joint replacement (TKR) is an effective method for the treatment of severe knee osteoarthritis. With an increasing number of surgeries, complications such as lower limb edema, pain, and limited mobility have caused a heavy burden. Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) may be a solution to solve the problem. The study aims to evaluate the efficacy of MLD in reducing knee edema, pain, and improving range of motion (ROM) in patients after TKR. Methods A search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, VIPs, WanFang database, and Google Scholar from inception to June 2023. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the effects of MLD and non-MLD (or another physiotherapy) on improving knee edema, pain, and ROM after TKR were included. Stata 16.0 was used for meta-analysis. GRADE was used to assess the quality of evidence. Results In total, 7 RCTs with 285 patients were identified. There were no significant differences found in the ROM of knee flexion (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.03, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.22, 0.28, P = 0.812) and the ROM of knee extension (SMD= -0.30, 95%CI: -0.64, 0.04, P = 0.084). No differences were observed in the lower extremity circumference after TKR (SMD= -0.09, 95%CI: -0.27, 0.09, P = 0.324). For postoperative pain, there was no significant advantage between the MLD and non-MLD groups (SMD= -0.33, 95%CI: -0.71, 0.04, P = 0.083). Conclusions Based on the current evidence from RCTs, manual lymphatic drainage is not recommended for the rehabilitation of patients following total knee replacement.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks pose a significant threat to the Internet of Vehicles, causing delays in driving operations and risking personal safety. With the emerging of Space-Air-Ground Integrated Sixth-Generation (6G) networks, DDoS defense faces new challenges, especially in open and complex Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) connections. In this study, we reviewed the requisites and challenges of DDoS defense in V2X and introduced a tailored access-side defense architecture for Space-Air-Ground Integrated 6G V2X. The objective is to provide ultra-low latency and privacy-assured services despite limited communication resources. Our architecture uses access-side control points (CPs) for rapid attack responses, collaborating with local controllers to create a seamless defense perimeter at the network edge. This prevents malicious traffic infiltration. Incorporating proactive defense strategies and lightweight detection methods, our approach ensures high attack detection rates with low defense costs. Simulation results confirm its efficacy and advantages in defense and network efficiency. We also discuss open issues for future research to facilitate practical applications.

Abstract Background Parturients are prone to postdural puncture headache (PDPH) after epidural puncture. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a fatal complication of PDPH. The main symptom of both is headache, however, the mechanism is not similar. For persistent PDPH, early differential diagnosis from CVST is essential. Optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measurements can be used to identify changes in intracranial pressure as an auxiliary tool to distinguish the cause of headache. Case presentation The dura of a 32-year-old woman undergoing cesarean section was accidentally penetrated while administering epidural anesthesia, and the patient developed PDPH the subsequent day. The patient refused epidural blood patch (EBP) treatment and was discharged after conservative treatment. Fourteen days post-discharge, she was readmitted for a seizure. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) indicated low cranial pressure syndrome and superior sagittal sinus thrombosis with acute infarction. The next morning, the EBP was performed with 15 ml autologous blood. Subsequently, the headache symptoms decreased during the day and worsened at night. ONSD measurement suggested dilation of the optic nerve sheath, and subsequently, the patient showed intracranial hypertension with papilledema. After dehydration and anticoagulant treatment, the patient’s symptoms were relieved and she was discharged from the hospital 49 days later. Conclusions Headache is the main symptom of PDPH and cerebral venous thrombosis, which are difficult to distinguish. ONSD measurement may help to estimate the intracranial pressure, and early measurement may be helpful for women with PDPH to avoid serious complications, such as CVST.

Malicious traffic has posed a significant threat to current 5G networks. In the upcoming 6G era, with the rapid development of the Internet of Things (IoT), defending against malicious traffic has become even more challenging due to the diverse nature and widespread distribution of IoT devices. This paper presents a new distributed framework for detecting malicious traffic on the access side of the IoT. This framework shifts the line of defense forward, and could alleviate the resource-bottleneck problem of traditional detectors that are usually deployed at the victim side. In particular, we devise a transformer-based neural network, which is tailored for distributed malicious traffic detection at multiple detection points. Additionally, we develop a personalized federated learning-based collaborative algorithm to enable horizontal collaboration among multiple detection points by sharing neural network parameters. Different from the traditional federated learning framework which trains a high-precision global model, our proposed framework fully considers the differences in the distribution of IoT traffic at the entrance, and uses local traffic data to train personalized models with better local detection performance on the basis of the global model. The experimental results demonstrate that our approach achieves an average detection accuracy of 99.2% and an F1-score of 99.2% for all detection points using the N-BaIoT dataset. In comparison to methods lacking collaboration, our approach exhibits significant improvements in terms of accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. Moreover, our detection performance is comparable to that of centralized learning frameworks, despite sharing only the model parameters.

In this paper, the synchronization issue of chaotic Lur’e system (CLs) is investigated under the coupling memory sampled-data controller (SDC) with parameter uncertainties. First, using a Bernoulli distributed sequence, a more universal coupling controller that involves the factor of data transmission delay is proposed. Based on these vectors, an augmented Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional (LKF) is constructed for the CLs, where the LKF is derived as delay-dependent. The LKF is also based on the information of entire sampling interval and non-linear functional vector. Meanwhile, a relaxed second-stage affine Bessel–Legendre inequality (BLIY) is introduced to estimate integral terms generated during the derivation. On account of the improved functional and the relaxed integral inequality, an admissibility criteria via a coupling controller is acquired for the synchronous error system with less conservative and the framework of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Then, the memory SDC is designed to synchronize the driving and responding CLs. Finally, a simulation example is provided to verify the validity and superiority of the proposed design scheme.

Abstracts The building sector, which accounts for over 20% of China’s total energy-related carbon emissions, has great potential to reduce emissions and is critical to achieving China’s emissions peak and carbon neutrality targets. However, the lack of data on operational carbon emissions and end-use carbon emissions in the building sector at the city level has become a major barrier to the development of building energy conservation policies and carbon peaking action plans. This study uses a combination of “top-down” and “bottom-up” methods to account for the operational carbon emissions of buildings in 321 cities in China from 2015 to 2020. The energy consumption in buildings is further broken down into six end uses: central heating, distributed heating, cooking and water heating (C&W), lighting, cooling, appliances and others (A&O). The dataset can serve as a reference to support city-level policies on peak building emissions and is of great value for the improvement of the carbon emissions statistical accounting system.

Abstract Bladder cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous disease with varying clinical outcomes. Recent evidence suggests that cancer progression involves the acquisition of stem-like signatures, and assessing stemness indices help uncover patterns of intra-tumor molecular heterogeneity. We used the one-class logistic regression algorithm to compute the mRNAsi for each sample in BLCA cohort. We subsequently classified BC patients into two subtypes based on 189 mRNAsi-related genes, using the unsupervised consensus clustering. Then, we identified nine hub genes to construct a stemness-related prognostic index (SRPI) using Cox regression, LASSO regression and Random Forest methods. We further validated SRPI using two independent datasets. Afterwards, we examined the molecular and immune characterized of SRPI. Finally, we conducted multiply drug screening and experimental approaches to identify and confirm the most proper agents for patients with high SRPI. Based on the mRNAsi-related genes, BC patients were classified into two stemness subtypes with distinct prognosis, functional annotations, genomic variations and immune profiles. Using the SRPI, we identified a specific subgroup of BC patients with high SRPI, who had a poor response to immunotherapy, and were less sensitive to commonly used chemotherapeutic agents, FGFR inhibitors, and EGFR inhibitors. We further identified that dasatinib was the most promising therapeutic agent for this subgroup of patients. This study provides further insights into the stemness classification of BC, and demonstrates that SRPI is a promising tool for predicting prognosis and therapeutic opportunities for BC patients.

Abstract Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics and types of congenital heart defect (CHD) in mild congenital anorectal malformation (CARM), namely the rectoperineal and rectovestibular fistulas. Methods The retrospective study of 183 patients with mild CARM was conducted with assessments of demographic information, color Doppler echocardiography results, and follow-up data. We performed an analysis of the clinical characteristics of CHD, grouping them based on sex and type of mild CARM. Results Of the 183 patients, rectoperineal fistula occurred in 133 patients (72.7%), while the frequency of CHD was 79.8% (146/183). Ventricular septal defects (VSDs) occur more frequently in patients with rectoperineal fistula compared to those with rectovestibular fistula (1.5% vs. 10%), while the opposite trend was observed for patent ductus arteriosus (PDAs) (39.8% vs. 22.0%). Additionally, males presented higher frequency of PDA (42.7% vs. 26.4%) and self-healing (6 months: 87.2% vs. 42.6%; 12 months: 91.0% vs. 63.2%) than females. However, males had a lower rate of undergoing cardiac surgery (6.4% vs. 17.6%) and a younger median diagnosis age (1 day vs. 9 days). Conclusion Our study indicates that there is a necessity for meticulous cardiac assessment and follow-up in neonates diagnosed with mild CARM.

Due to privacy and sensitivity of the medical images, the creation of strong medical image encryption schemes has gained the attention of cryptographers. In this study, a robust medical image encryption scheme is developed involving a fuzzy subset of integers from 1 to 256 characterized by membership values. The S-box entries are determined using a precise mathematical formulation. Various standard analyses are performed to check the reliability and security of the newly devised S-box. Furthermore, this newly devised S-box is utilized to design proposed encrypting technique. A thorough benchmarking analysis that is specifically designed for image encryption schemes has been conducted in order to assess the algorithm’s performance. The findings of these analyses obtained through the proposed scheme, in comparison to some recently developed image encryption schemes; show that the proposed approach exhibits exceptional attributes and formidable cryptographic potency. Consequently, the algorithm not only showcases remarkable effectiveness but also holds great promise in the realm of securing medical images for telemedicine.

Abstract Background The benefits of first-line, cisplatin-based chemotherapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer are limited due to intrinsic or acquired resistance to cisplatin. Increasing evidence has revealed the implication of cancer stem cells in the development of chemoresistance. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be elucidated. This study investigates the role of LASS2, a ceramide synthase, in regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling in a subset of stem-like bladder cancer cells and explores strategies to sensitize bladder cancer to cisplatin treatment. Methods Data from cohorts of our center and published datasets were used to evaluate the clinical characteristics of LASS2. Flow cytometry was used to sort and analyze bladder cancer stem cells (BCSCs). Tumor sphere formation, soft agar colony formation assay, EdU assay, apoptosis analysis, cell viability, and cisplatin sensitivity assay were used to investigate the functional roles of LASS2. Immunofluorescence, immunoblotting, coimmunoprecipitation, LC–MS, PCR array, luciferase reporter assays, pathway reporter array, chromatin immunoprecipitation, gain-of-function, and loss-of-function approaches were used to investigate the underlying mechanisms. Cell- and patient-derived xenograft models were used to investigate the effect of LASS2 overexpression and a combination of XAV939 on cisplatin sensitization and tumor growth. Results Patients with low expression of LASS2 have a poorer response to cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Loss of LASS2 confers a stem-like phenotype and contributes to cisplatin resistance. Overexpression of LASS2 results in inhibition of self-renewal ability of BCSCs and increased their sensitivity to cisplatin. Mechanistically, LASS2 inhibits PP2A activity and dissociates PP2A from β-catenin, preventing the dephosphorylation of β-catenin and leading to the accumulation of cytosolic phospho-β-catenin, which decreases the transcription of the downstream genes ABCC2 and CD44 in BCSCs. Overexpression of LASS2 combined with a tankyrase inhibitor (XAV939) synergistically inhibits tumor growth and restores cisplatin sensitivity. Conclusions Targeting the LASS2 and β-catenin pathways may be an effective strategy to overcome cisplatin resistance and inhibit tumor growth in bladder cancer patients.

Networked robots have become crucial for unmanned applications since they can collaborate to complete complex tasks in remote/hazardous/depopulated areas. Due to the cost inefficiency of deploying cellular network infrastructure in these areas, hybrid satellite-UAV networks emerge as a promising solution. These networks provide seamless and on-demand connectivity for multiple robots with various task requirements, and support computation-intensive and latency-sensitive services through mobile edge computing (MEC)-based offloading. However, to complete tasks in limited times, the rapid collective movement of mobile robots may cause frequent service migration, and a large number of gathered robots may compete for limited bandwidth resources in satellite and UAV communications. As a result, offloading latency may increase significantly. To address this issue, the average completion time of multi-robot offloading in task-oriented satellite-UAV networks with MEC is formulated as an optimization problem. Unlike conventional mobility-aware MEC-based offloading schemes, joint optimization of mobility control, data offloading, and resource allocation is proposed using velocity control of multiple robots. According to Lyapunov optimization, the original optimization problem is simplified into minimizing the average completion time of offloading for all robots within UAV and satellite coverage. A multi-agent $Q$ -learning algorithm, including multi-group dual-agent $Q$ -learning, is proposed based on local state observation and global reward calculation. In each dual-agent $Q$ -learning, one agent is responsible for velocity control and communication resource allocation, while the other is responsible for data offloading and computational resource allocation. The convergence of the proposed multi-agent $Q$ -learning algorithm is also theoretically analyzed. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme can effectively reduce the offloading latency by up to 35% in the multi-robot environment over its conventional counterparts.

This study aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the existing literature on social presence in order to identify significant research works, contribute valuable insights into emerging research areas, and provide an overview of global research trends. The study also aims to assist future researchers in locating relevant information aligned with their research interests. The research employs bibliometric analysis to examine 1962 journal articles published between 1958 and 2022, focusing on various aspects such as publication outputs, co-authorships among authors and affiliated countries, and co-occurrences of author keywords referenced in the Scopus database. Additionally, the study identifies the most active institutions, productive journals, and prolific authors in the field of social presence. Notably, the analysis reveals a consistent increase in cumulative publication numbers from 2014 to 2018, with an annual increment of 100 articles. More than 55% of the total publications originate from researchers based in China and the United States. Moreover, among the top 15 countries, four of their most prolific universities are ranked among the world's top 100 universities. The findings of the bibliometric study highlight that research on social presence predominantly focuses on captivating themes such as e-learning, social media, computer-mediated communication (CMC), and communities of inquiry (CoI). The primary objective of the study is to identify shifts in publication outputs, co-authorships, affiliated countries, and author keywords, thereby unveiling prevailing publication trends within the field of social presence. The scope of the study primarily centres on the identification of trends through bibliometric analysis. The study's findings indicate an upward trend in the publication of articles concerning social presence, which is expected to continue. Furthermore, co-authorship and co-occurrence investigations are undertaken to assess leading countries and frequently employed keywords in the literature.

Abstract As nonlinear thermal devices, thermal regulators can intelligently respond to temperature and control heat flow through changes in heat transfer capacities, which allows them to reduce energy consumption without external intervention. However, current thermal regulators generally based on high‐quality crystalline‐structure transitions are intrinsically rigid, which may cause structural damage and functional failure under mechanical strain; moreover, they are difficult to integrate into emerging soft electronic platforms. In this study, we develop a flexible, elastic thermal regulator based on the reversible thermally induced deformation of a liquid crystal elastomer/liquid metal (LCE/LM) composite foam. By adjusting the crosslinking densities, the LCE foam exhibits a high actuation strain of 121% with flexibility below the nematic–isotropic phase transition temperature (TNI) and hyperelasticity above TNI. The incorporation of LM results in a high thermal resistance switching ratio of 3.8 over a wide working temperature window of 60°C with good cycling stability. This feature originates from the synergistic effect of fragmentation and recombination of the internal LM network and lengthening and shortening of the bond line thickness. Furthermore, we fabricate a “grid window” utilizing photic‐thermal integrated thermal control, achieving a superior heat supply of 13.7°C at a light intensity of 180 mW/cm2 and a thermal protection of 43.4°C at 1200 mW/cm2. The proposed method meets the mechanical softness requirements of thermal regulator materials with multimode intelligent temperature control.

Background Since 2015, the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) has measured progress in achieving healthrelated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) annually worldwide. Little is known about the status and attainment of indicators of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by 65 countries from the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China in 2013.Methods Data from GBDs were used to estimate 24 NCD-related SDG indicators in BRI countries from 1990 to 2017. Each indicator was scored from 0 to 100 to compare multiple indicators over the study period. The natural log of the annual change in each location and year and weighted annual rates of change were used to generate projections for 2030. National-level estimates were determined by socio-demographic index (SDI) quintiles in BRI countries with more than 1 million inhabitants.Results In 2017, the median overall score of NCD-related SDG index for the 66 BRI countries was 60 points, ranging from 29 points in Afghanistan to 84 points in Israel. More than 80% of countries achieved the SDG 2030 maternal mortality (MM) rate target in 2017, and the national skilled birth attendance rate was above 99% in more than 59% countries. However, none of the BRI countries achieved the goal for children’s overweight, modern methods of contraception, and universal health coverage. It was predicted that 80.4% of NCD-related SDG targets would be achieved in these countries by 2030. The overall score of NCD-related SDG index were positively associated with SDI quintiles.Conclusion For many indicators, the achieved progress in many countries is less than the annual rate necessary to meet SDG targets, indicating that substantial efforts need to be made in the coming years. Progress should be accelerated through collaborations between countries, implementation of NCD prevention and control strategies, and monitoring of inequalities in NCD-related SDGs within populations.

Abstract Background The status of anastomotic blood perfusion is associated with the occurrence of anastomotic leakage after intestinal anastomosis. Fluorescence angiography (FA) with indocyanine green (ICG) can objectively assess intestinal blood perfusion. This study aims to investigate whether anastomotic perfusion assessment with ICG influences surgical decision-making during laparoscopic intestinal resection and primary anastomosis for colonic stricture after necrotizing enterocolitis. Methods Patients who underwent laparoscopic intestinal resection and primary anastomosis between January 2022 and December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Before intestinal anastomosis, the ICG fluorescence technology was used to evaluate the blood perfusion of intestinal tubes on both sides of the anastomosis. After the completion of primary anastomosis, the anastomotic blood perfusion was assessed again. Results Of the 13 cases, laparoscopy was used to determine the extent of the diseased bowel to be excised, and the normal bowel was preserved for anastomosis. The anastomosis was established under the guidance of ICG fluorescence technology, and FA was performed after anastomosis to confirm good blood flow in the proximal bowel. The anastomotic intestinal tube was changed in one case because FA showed a difference between the normal range of intestinal blood flow and the macroscopic prediction. There was no evidence of ICG allergy, anastomotic leakage, anastomotic stricture, or other complications. The median follow-up was 6 months, and all patients recovered well. Conclusions The ICG fluorescence technology is helpful in precisely and efficiently determining the anastomotic intestinal blood flow during stricture resection and in avoiding anastomotic leakage caused by poor anastomotic intestinal blood flow to some extent, with satisfactory short-term efficacy.

In green hydrogen production via water electrolysis, catalysts with multiscale nanostructures synthesized by compositing micro-heterojunctions and nanoporous structures exhibit excellent electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance. Moreover, they are the most promising non-noble metal catalysts. Herein, FeNi-based aerogels with a three-dimensional nanoporous structure and amorphous matrix embedded with FeNi3 nanoclusters were synthesized via wet chemical reduction coprecipitation. The FeNi3 nanoclusters and the FeNi-based amorphous matrix formed a crystalline–amorphous heterojunction. These aerogels exhibited excellent OER performance and electrocatalytic stability in alkaline electrolytes. In 1 mol/L of KOH electrolyte, the as-synthesized aerogel exhibited an overpotential of 262 mV at a current density of 20 mA cm−2 with a Tafel slope of only 46 mV dec−1. It also demonstrated excellent stability during a 12 h chronopotentiometry test.

Accurate Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are essential for precise terrain gravity field calculations, which are critical in gravity field modeling, airborne gravimeter and gradiometer calibration, and geophysical inversion. This study evaluates the accuracy of various satellite DEMs by comparing them with a LiDAR DEM at the Wudalianchi test site, a location requiring ultra-accurate terrain gravity fields. Major DEM error sources, particularly those related to vegetation, were identified and corrected using a least squares method that integrates canopy height, vegetation cover, NDVI, and airborne LiDAR DEM data. The impact of DEM vegetation errors on terrain gravity anomalies and gravity gradients was quantified using a partitioned adaptive gravity forward-modeling method at different measurement heights. The results indicate that the TanDEM-X DEM and AW3D30 DEM exhibit the highest vertical accuracy among the satellite DEMs evaluated in the Wudalianchi area. Vegetation significantly affects DEM accuracy, with vegetation-related errors causing an impact of approximately 0.17 mGal (RMS) on surface gravity anomalies. This effect is more pronounced in densely vegetated and volcanic regions. At 100 m above the surface and at an altitude of 1 km, vegetation height affects gravity anomalies by approximately 0.12 mGal and 0.07 mGal, respectively. Additionally, vegetation height impacts the vertical gravity gradient at 100 m above the surface by approximately 4.20 E (RMS), with errors up to 48.84 E over vegetation covered areas. The findings underscore the critical importance of using DEMs with vegetation errors removed for high-precision terrain gravity and gravity gradient modeling, particularly in applications such as airborne gravimeter and gradiometer calibration.

The gravity–geologic method (GGM) is widely used for bathymetric predictions. However, the conventional GGM cannot be applied in regions without actual bathymetric data. The modified gravity–geologic method (MGGM) enhances the accuracy of bathymetric models by supplementing short-wavelength gravity anomalies with an a priori bathymetric model, but it overlooks the significance of actual bathymetric data in the prediction process. In this study, we used the BP neural network (BPNN), incorporating shipborne depth soundings and coastline data as zero-depth estimates combined with the MGGM to produce a bathymetric model (BPGGM_BAT) for the South China Sea (105°E–122°E, 0°N–26°N). The results indicate that the BPGGM_BAT model decreases the root-mean-square (RMS) of bathymetry differences from 154.33 m to approximately 140.43 m relative to multibeam depth data. Additionally, the RMS differences between the BPGGM_BAT model and multibeam depth data show further improvements of 19.63%, 20.10%, and 19.54% when compared with the recently released SRTM15_V2.6, GEBCO_2022, and topo_V27.1 models, respectively. The precision of the BPGGM_BAT model is comparable to that of the SDUST2023BCO model, as verified using multibeam depth data in open sea regions. The BPGGM_BAT model outperforms existing models with RMS differences of 8.54% to 32.66%, as verified using Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) bathymetric data in the regions around the Zhongsha and Nansha Islands. A power density analysis suggests that the BPGGM_BAT model is superior to the MGGM_BAT model for predicting seafloor topography within wavelengths shorter than 15 km, and its performance is closely consistent with that of the topo_V27.1 and SDUST2023BCO models. Overall, this integrated method demonstrates significant potential for improving the accuracy of bathymetric predictions.

Bismuth-based photocatalytic materials have been widely used in the field of photocatalysis in recent years due to their unique layered structure. However, single bismuth-based photocatalytic materials are greatly limited in their photocatalytic performance due to their poor response to visible light and easy recombination of photogenerated charges. At present, constructing semiconductor heterojunctions is an effective modification method that improves quantum efficiency by promoting the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes. In this study, the successful preparation of an In2O3/Bi2WO6 (In2O3/BWO) II-type semiconductor heterojunction composite material was achieved. XRD characterization was performed to conduct a phase analysis of the samples, SEM and TEM characterization for a morphology analysis of the samples, and DRS and XPS testing for optical property and elemental valence state analyses of the samples. In the II-type semiconductor junction system, photogenerated electrons (e−) on the In2O3 conduction band (CB) migrate to the BWO CB, while holes (h+) on the BWO valence band (VB) transfer to the In2O3 VB, promoting the separation of photoinduced charges, raising the quantum efficiency. When the molar ratio of In2O3/BWO is 2:6, the photocatalytic degradation degree of rhodamine B (RhB) is 59.4% (44.0% for BWO) after 60 min illumination, showing the best photocatalytic activity. After four cycles, the degradation degree of the sample was 54.3%, which is 91.4% of that of the first photocatalytic degradation experiment, indicating that the sample has good reusability. The XRD results of 2:6 In2O3/BWO before and after the cyclic experiments show that the positions and intensities of its diffraction peaks did not change significantly, indicating excellent structural stability. The active species experiment results imply that h+ is the primary species. Additionally, this study proposes a mechanism for the separation, migration, and photocatalysis of photoinduced charges in II-type semiconductor junctions.

Background/Objectives: Numerical simulation plays an important role in pharmaceutical preparation recently. Mechanistic models, as a type of numerical model, are widely used in the study of pharmaceutical preparations. Mechanistic models are based on a priori knowledge, i.e., laws of physics, chemistry, and biology. However, due to interdisciplinary reasons, pharmacy researchers have greater difficulties in using computer models. Methods: In this paper, we highlight the application scenarios and examples of mechanistic modelling in pharmacy research and provide a reference for drug researchers to get started. Results: By establishing a suitable model and inputting preparation parameters, researchers can analyze the drug preparation process. Therefore, mechanistic models are effective tools to optimize the preparation parameters and predict potential quality problems of the product. With product quality parameters as the ultimate goal, the experiment design is optimized by mechanistic models. This process emphasizes the concept of quality by design. Conclusions: The use of numerical simulation saves experimental cost and time, and speeds up the experimental process. In pharmacy experiments, part of the physical information and the change processes are difficult to obtain, such as the mechanical phenomena during tablet compression and the airflow details in the nasal cavity. Therefore, it is necessary to predict the information and guide the formulation with the help of mechanistic models.

Carbon-based nanomaterials have garnered widespread attention and application because of their exceptional electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, mechanical strength, and optical properties [...]

Aqueous batteries are promising for large-scale applications owing to their affordability, eco-friendliness, and nonflammability. However, their usability in cold regions is limited by electrolyte freezing and slow ion-transfer kinetics at subzero temperatures. This study demonstrates the stable operation of aqueous batteries in subzero conditions by integrating high-efficiency photothermal current collectors with suspension electrodes. The Ketjen black-based photothermal current collectors efficiently convert a broad spectrum of sunlight (98%, 200–2500 nm) into thermal energy, enabling rapid heat generation. Simultaneously, the high thermal conductivity of the suspension electrode ensures quick distribution of thermal energy throughout the battery. This configuration allows the cell’s core temperature to rapidly increase from −18 °C to 20 °C within 22 min under simulated solar irradiation. Additionally, an integrated light concentrator and temperature regulation system has been developed to improve heating rates and ensure the temperature stability of the cell under various climatic conditions. As a result, the cell can maintain a stable temperature of 20 °C during consecutive charge/discharge cycles, even with an ambient temperature fluctuating between −5 °C and 5 °C. This integrated photothermal battery design exhibits great potential for cold weather conditions, paving the way for the deployment of large-scale aqueous battery systems in polar regions.

Forests play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of natural ecosystems. Accurate mapping of windfall damages following storms is essential for effective post-disaster management. While remote sensing image classification offers substantial advantages over ground surveys for monitoring changes in forests, it encounters several challenges. Firstly, training samples in classification algorithms are typically selected through pixel-based random sampling or manual regional sampling. This approach struggles with accurately modeling complex patterns in high-resolution images and often results in redundant samples. Secondly, the limited availability of labeled samples compromises the classification accuracy when they are divided into training and test sets. To address these issues, two innovative approaches are proposed in this paper. The first is a new sample selection method which combines block-based sampling with spatial features extracted by single or multiple windows. Second, a new evaluation criterion is proposed by using the homomorphic hypothesis margin map with out-of-bag (OOB) accuracy. The former can not only assess the confidence level of each pixel category but also make regional boundaries clearer, and the latter can replace the test set so that all samples can be used for change detection. The experimental results show that the OOB accuracy obtained by spatial features with whole block sampling was 7.2% higher than that obtained by spectral features with pixel-based sampling and 2–3% higher than that for block center sampling, of which the highest value reached 98.8%. Additionally, the feasibility of identifying storm-damaged forests using only post-storm images has been demonstrated.

Planting salt-tolerant plants is an efficient method of biological improvement for saline–alkali land. However, few studies have examined the soil improvement effects of the rotation of the green manure plant sesbania and the grain crop sorghum. Thus, we planted sesbania in native soil on heavily saline–alkaline coastal land and subsequently planted sorghum after returning the sesbania straw to the soil. The effect of this sesbania–sorghum rotation on soil improvement was clarified by comparing indicators of soil quality before and after sesbania and sorghum were planted, such as the soil structure, water infiltration, soil salt content, and soil microbial changes. The results showed that the soil bulk density of the plow layer (0–40 cm) after crop harvest decreased by 9.63% compared with that of bare land, and the soil porosity increased by 5.67%. The cumulative infiltration, initial infiltration rate, and stable infiltration rate of saline soil were 3.6 times, 2.8 times, and 3.3 times higher than those of bare land, respectively. With the growth of sesbania and sorghum, the soil salt content in the plow layer of the cultivated land decreased by 37.73%, while that of bare land decreased by 9.1%. A further analysis of desalination showed that the total desalination amount in the plow layer was 15.58 t/ha, of which 5% was due to plant absorption, and the rest was from salt leaching. Moreover, sesbania–sorghum rotation increased the soil organic matter content in the plow layer from 69.1 t/ha to 73.8 t/ha. The quantities of some microorganisms that are mainly found in coastal saline soil decreased, while those of some common soil microorganisms increased, reflecting an improvement in the soil quality. The above results prove that sesbania–sorghum rotation had a significant effect on soil improvement and salt reduction, which is of great significance for the further utilization of saline–alkali land to enhance crop productivity.

ObjectiveTo compare the effects of tofacitinib and adalimumab on the risk of adverse lipidaemia outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA).MethodsData of adult patients newly diagnosed with RA who were treated with tofacitinib or adalimumab at least twice during a 3-year period from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2020, were enrolled in the TriNetX US Collaborative Network. Patient demographics, comorbidities, medications, and laboratory data were matched by propensity score at baseline. Outcome measurements include incidental risk of dyslipidemia, major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and all-cause mortality.ResultsA total of 7,580 newly diagnosed patients with RA (1998 receiving tofacitinib, 5,582 receiving adalimumab) were screened. After propensity score matching, the risk of dyslipidaemia outcomes were higher in the tofacitinib cohort, compared with adalimumab cohort (hazard ratio [HR] with 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.250 [1.076–1.453]). However, there is no statistically significant differences between two cohorts on MACE (HR, 0.995 [0.760–1.303]) and all-cause mortality (HR, 1.402 [0.887–2.215]).ConclusionTofacitinib use in patients with RA may increase the risk of dyslipidaemia to some extent compared to adalimumab. However, there is no differences on MACE and all-cause mortality.

The earthquake landslide hazard assessment method is mainly based on the traditional Newmark model. However, when the landslide hazard assessment is carried out along the fault zone, the calculated results are often different from the actual situation because the influence of fault effect is not fully considered. Therefore, how to construct a landslide hazard assessment model suitable for the fault zone is a technical problem to be solved by researchers. Taking the Lixian–Luojiabu fault zone in Gansu Province in China as the study area, this paper put forward the concept of fault effect correction coefficient exploringly, systematically studied the relative distance relationship between the landslide and fault zone, and the relative position relationship between landslide and upper and lower sides of the fault zone. The value table of the fault effect correction coefficient along the Lixian–Luojiabu fault zone was established, and the corresponding distribution map of the fault effect correction coefficient was drawn. Based on this, an improved Newmark model for the landslide hazard assessment along the fault zone was constructed. On the basis of systematic analysis of the slope and engineering geological rock group in the study area, the traditional Newmark model and improved Newmark model considering fault effects were used, respectively, to carry out the earthquake landslide hazard assessment under the condition of 10% exceeding probability in 50 years, and the ROC curve and Kappa coefficient methods were used to compare and analyze the evaluation results. The results showed that the AUC value and Kappa coefficient of the danger area obtained by the improved model with the Newmark model were 0.841 and 0.822, respectively, which were significantly higher than the calculated values of the traditional Newmark model, indicating that the model had a good improvement effect. The Newmark improved model, considering the fault effect, fully considered the influence of distance from the fault zone and fault upper and lower side effects, and the research results can provide a new reference for the landslide hazard assessment along the fault zone.

IntroductionTotal knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a widely-used treatment for end-stage knee osteoarthritis. However, it is common for patients to experience issues with knee joint function and abnormal gait following the surgery. Previous studies have primarily focused on concentric contraction of the quadriceps during TKA, neglecting the potential benefits of eccentric isokinetic training for the hamstrings. This protocol outlines a randomized, single-blind, controlled trial aimed at assessing the impact of eccentric isokinetic training for the hamstring muscles on pain, function, and gait in patients after TKA.Methods and analysisFifty participants between the ages of 50 and 80 with knee osteoarthritis undergo unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for the first time. They will be transferred to the rehabilitation department 10–14 days after the operation. The participants are randomly divided into two groups, with 25 participants in each group: the control group and the Hamstring training group. The Control group will receive routine rehabilitation treatment, while the Hamstring training group will receive a combination of routine rehabilitation treatment and isokinetic eccentric training of the hamstring. The intervention will last four consecutive weeks. Both groups will be assessed at three different times: before the intervention, after 4 weeks of intervention, and 4 weeks after the interventions (follow-up). The primary outcome will be functional capacity (TUGT) and Hospital for Special knee Score (HSS). Secondary outcomes will be knee-related health status (isokinetic knee position perception, Peak torque of hamstring strength), pain intensity (Visual analog scale, VAS) and 3D gait analysis.DiscussionThe study aims to provide relevant evidence on the effectiveness of eccentric hamstring muscle contraction training in improving knee joint function and walking function after TKA.Clinical trial registrationhttps://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=195544, Identifier ChiCTR2300073497.

Elaborated optical and thermal modulatory systems are of great importance to the survival and evolution of organisms in nature. Inspired by these natural intelligent systems, researchers have made great efforts for developing stretchable polymers and exploring their applications in fields of communication, dynamic camouflage, thermal management, and others. Herein, an up‐to‐date account of the advancements in bioinspired stretchable polymers for dynamic optical and thermal regulation is provided. First, stretchable polymers for dynamic structural colors are presented, including cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers, photonic crystal elastomers, and emerging photonic polymers. Then stretchable polymers for dynamic infrared emissivity are introduced, which are achieved by stretch‐induced wrinkled‐flat surface or stretch‐induced cracked surface. Third, stretchable polymers for dynamic thermal management are discussed, focusing on tunable solar transmittance and dynamic radiative cooling. Moreover, the perspectives on the opportunities and challenges for future research directions of bioinspired stretchable polymers are presented at the end.

Background: Asthma is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide and is closely related to environmental exposure. The prevalence of asthma and the relationship between asthma and the duration of environmental exposure in adolescents has not been reported in Chongqing, China. Objectives: To examine the prevalence of asthma among adolescents in Chongqing and investigate the relationships between asthma and environmental exposure. Methods: The subjects were recruited from a previous cohort study. The data, demographics and respiratory characteristics were collected after a monthly follow-up visit. PM 2.5 concentrations were matched to the residential addresses of participants. Results: This study included 4146 samples (11.74 ± 0.71 years) and the prevalence of asthma was 3.98 % (165/4146). In terms of PM 2.5 exposure, the annual average PM 2.5 level was significantly higher in adolescents with asthma, and the annual average PM 2.5 was positively associated with asthma (OR = 1.252, 95%CI: 1.049, 1.495). After adjusting for multiple potential confounding factors, comparing with PM 2.5 concentration in the first interquartile range (Q1), seasonal PM 2.5 (OR = 1.791, 95%CI: 1.119, 2.866) and monthly PM 2.5 (OR = 1.484, 95%CI: 0.929, 2.373) in the third interquartile range (Q3), there was a statistically significant increased risk of asthma. In terms of weather-related factors, seasonal humidity (OR = 3.157, 95%CI: 1.168, 8.536), monthly humidity (OR = 2.397, 95%CI: 1.307, 4.397) and temperature (OR = 2.510, 95%CI: 1.157, 5.447), they were positively correlated with asthma. Conclusions: This study illustrated the impact of chronic exposure of PM 2.5, temperature and humidity on asthma in adolescents.

This study argues that the degree of linguistic abstraction in negative reviews can lead to varying levels of persuasiveness and that tailoring response strategies and voice according to the situation mitigates the impact of negative reviews. This study examines the impact of language abstraction in negative online reviews on potential customers’ attitudes and purchase intention, as well as the moderating effects of managerial responses, response strategies, and response voices on the persuasiveness of negative reviews. The data were collected through three studies that focused on reviews and managerial responses across both the service and functional product categories. The mediation analysis showed that, compared to abstract negative reviews, concrete negative reviews could significantly enhance potential customers’ attribution of responsibility toward service or product providers and their perception of stability and controllability of negative events, leading to a more negative perception of the company, but not lower purchase intention. Additionally, the moderation analysis showed that corporate responses could significantly reduce potential customers’ attribution of responsibility to the disputing company and improve their evaluation. Accommodative responses to concrete negative reviews and defensive responses to abstract negative reviews induced potential customers to make favorable judgments about the firm.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant bone tumor. In the clinic, usual strategies for OS treatment include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. However, all of these therapies have complications that cannot be ignored. Therefore, the search for better OS treatments is urgent. Black phosphorus (BP), a rising star of 2D inorganic nanoparticles, has shown excellent results in OS therapy due to its outstanding photothermal, photodynamic, biodegradable and biocompatible properties. This review aims to present current advances in the use of BP nanoparticles in OS therapy, including the synthesis of BP nanoparticles, properties of BP nanoparticles, types of BP nanoparticles, and modification strategies for BP nanoparticles. In addition, we have discussed comprehensively the application of BP in OS therapy, including single, dual, and multimodal synergistic OS therapies, as well as studies about bone regeneration and antibacterial properties. Finally, we have summarized the conclusions, limitations and perspectives of BP nanoparticles for OS therapy.