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Many models with long-range interactions, including the Nagel-Kardar (NK) model, have been proposed to demonstrate and explore the differences between microcanonical ensembles and canonical ensembles. In the NK model, the first-order phase transition always accompanied by the temperature jump in the microcanonical ensemble, while this anomalous temperature jump can not be observed in the canonical ensemble. Moreover, the tricritical points of this model are different from each other in these two different ensembles. In this paper, the microcanonical-canonical crossover behavior of the NK model is studied by placing the NK model in contact with a two-level reservoir, and transition of the tricritical point is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of Li‐ion batteries (LIBs) is highly dependent on their interfacial chemistry, which is regulated by electrolytes. Conventional electrolyte typically contains polar solvents to dissociate Li salts. Herein we report a weakly solvating electrolyte (WSE) that consists of a pure non‐polar solvent, which leads to a peculiar solvation structure where ion pairs and aggregates prevail under a low salt concentration of 1.0 M. Importantly, WSE forms unique anion‐derived interphases on graphite electrodes that exhibit fast‐charging and long‐term cycling characteristics. First‐principles calculations unravel a general principle that the competitive coordination between anions and solvents to Li ions is the origin of different interfacial chemistries. By bridging the gap between solution thermodynamics and interfacial chemistry in batteries, this work opens a brand‐new way towards precise electrolyte engineering for energy storage devices with desired properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of Li‐ion batteries (LIBs) is highly dependent on their interfacial chemistry, which is regulated by electrolytes. Conventional electrolyte typically contains polar solvents to dissociate Li salts. Herein we report a weakly solvating electrolyte (WSE) that consists of a pure non‐polar solvent, which leads to a peculiar solvation structure where ion pairs and aggregates prevail under a low salt concentration of 1.0 M. Importantly, WSE forms unique anion‐derived interphases on graphite electrodes that exhibit fast‐charging and long‐term cycling characteristics. First‐principles calculations unravel a general principle that the competitive coordination between anions and solvents to Li ions is the origin of different interfacial chemistries. By bridging the gap between solution thermodynamics and interfacial chemistry in batteries, this work opens a brand‐new way towards precise electrolyte engineering for energy storage devices with desired properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of patients with oncologic and cardiologic comorbidities is increasing. A growing number of evidence shows an inextricable link between cancer, atrial fibrillation, and atrial cardiomyopathy. Cancer itself and resultant inflammation, anticancer treatment, and other comorbidities lead to atrial remodeling and fibrosis, which increases the tendency to develop atrial cardiomyopathy and atrial fibrillation. The scarcity of current literature and ambiguous results make its relationship difficult to fully understand. In this review, we will summarize existing evidence of the relationships and interactions among cancer, atrial cardiomyopathy, and atrial fibrillation and discuss the underlying mechanisms, and provide better information for the management of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1), a monomeric heme-containing enzyme, catalyzes the first and rate-limiting step in the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism, which plays an important role in immunity and neuronal function. Its implication in different pathophysiologic processes including cancer and neurodegenerative diseases has inspired the development of IDO1 inhibitors in the past decades. However, the negative results of the phase III clinical trial of the would-be first-in-class IDO1 inhibitor (epacadostat) in combination with an anti-PD1 antibody (pembrolizumab) in patients with advanced malignant melanoma call for a better understanding of the role of IDO1 inhibition. In this review, the current status of the clinical development of IDO1 inhibitors will be introduced and the key pre-clinical and clinical data of epacadostat will be summarized. Moreover, based on the cautionary notes obtained from the clinical readout of epacadostat, strategies for the identification of reliable predictive biomarkers and pharmacodynamic markers as well as for the selection of the tumor types to be treated with IDO1inhibitors will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Numerical model of perforating operation was established and verified by engineering data. • High perforation density increased the effective stress in the middle of the perforation holes. • Low perforation phase angle increased risk of casing structure deformation. Perforation operation is critical in bridging completion and production enhancement operations. At the same time, the perforation parameters also affect the structural integrity of the casing. Still, there are fewer studies on the stress distribution of the casing under the blast transient impact loading of multi-hole perforation. To address this, considering the engineering application of helical perforation in unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, a three-dimensional numerical model of perforating charge-casing-cement sheath-formation is established, and the Holmquist-Johnson-Cook (HJC) rock dynamics material model, as well as the fluid–solid coupling and Arbitrary Lagrange-Euler (ALE) algorithms. On this basis, the variation rule and distribution characteristics of the effective stress in the double-perforation holes stress superposition area under different perforation density, phase angle, and geostress conditions are analyzed with the casing strength safety threshold as the optimization judgment condition of perforation parameters. The research results show that the numerical simulation result has good consistency in the results of engineering practice, perforation aperture diameter error is 3.04%, and jet head velocity error is 6.85%. The variation rule of perforation density and phase angle has a significant effect on the effective stress distribution in the stress superposition area around the hole: with the decreasing perforation density or increasing phase angle, the casing stress superposition area in the middle part of the neighboring perforation holes is gradually narrowed down, and when the perforation density is more than 9 P/m and 51°, the casing stress in the stress superposition area between the perforated holes is lower than the safety threshold value. With the increasing ground stress, the stress in the middle of the neighboring perforated holes increases continuously, showing a quadratic function change trend. The perforation density should be appropriately reduced, and the phase angle should be increased when the geostress is high to ensure the integrity of the casing structure after the perforation operation. The research results can provide a practical reference for conducting perforation engineering operations and optimizing perforation parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Metal catalysts can modulate the generation and reactivity of difluorocarbene. • The study of [M]=CF 2 complexes benefits our understanding of CF 2 transfer reactions. • It is still a big challenge to make use of metal difluorocarbene species in organic synthesis. • Advances of group VIII metal difluorocarbenes are summarized. • The involvement of these complexes in organic synthesis is also reviewed. The use of metal catalysts to modulate the generation and reactivity of carbenes has offered a powerful tool for construction of functional molecules. The design and synthesis of relevant transition-metal difluorocarbene complexes have benefited the development and interpretation of transition-metal catalyzed difluorocarbene transfer reactions. Although many achievements have been made in difluorocarbene chemistry, it is still a challenging task to make use of transition-metal difluorocarbenes in synthetic chemistry. To aid interested readers in better understanding the reactivity of transition-metal difluorocarbene species and designing catalytic methods for transfer of difluorocarbene intermediates, we summarize the advances of group VIII metal difluorocarbene complexes. Details include the preparation and properties of these complexes as well as their involvement in organic synthesis. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable plastics have been regarded as promising candidates in the struggle against plastic pollution. However, the aging and dynamic leaching process of biodegradable and conventional plastics under photooxidation is still unclear. Herein, three types of non-biodegradable plastics (polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyethylene terephthalate), and two types of biodegradable plastics (polylactic acid and cornstarch-based plastics) were treated with 21 days of photooxidation followed by 13 days of dark conditions. Scanning electron microscopy was applied to display the morphological changes. Also, the carbonyl index, oxygen-to-carbon ratio, and contact angle were utilized to characterize the aging degree of the plastic surface. Unexpectedly, biodegradable plastics did not always display a greater aging degree than non-biodegradable plastics. Moreover, the dissolved organic carbon during the leaching process was identified using excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy. The findings suggested that biodegradable plastics showed the potential to release more dissolved organic carbon. Particularly, the polylactic acid plastic displayed higher concentrations and more types of dissolved organic carbon release than that of conventional plastics in our experiment. This research highlights the necessity for monitoring the aging process of both biodegradable and non-biodegradable plastics and the non-negligible ecological risk of leached organic pollutants due to plastic degradation. • Aging process of biodegradable and conventional plastics under photooxidation were studied. • Biodegradable plastics did not always display greater aging degree over non-biodegradable plastics. • PLA displayed higher concentrations and more types of dissolved organic carbon. • Monitoring the aging process of both biodegradable plastics and non-biodegradable plastics is necessary. • Leached dissolved organic carbon could bring ecological risks to the already complicated plastic issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dredging of reef-flat sand for engineering construction is a common activity on some Asia-Pacific reef islands, which attract increasing concerns in the community of coastal hazard mitigation. Comparing to the well-studied one-dimensional horizontal (1DH) fringing reefs with excavation pit on the reef flat, little is known about such wave characteristics as sea and swell (SS) waves, infragravity (IG) waves, wave-induced setup and wave-driven current in a two-dimensional horizontal (2DH) fringing reef configuration with the reef-flat pit. To remedy this research gap, a 2DH numerical model according to a set of Boussinesq equations is proposed in this study. The 1DH form of used model is firstly verified with a wave flume experiment based on SS wave height, IG wave height and wave setup along the 1DH reef profile with and without the pit, then its 2DH form is verified by a wave basin experiment in view of both wave and mean current processes in a reef-lagoon-channel system. A comparison between 1DH and 2DH reef configurations with pit is also conducted to further validate the 2DH model. Subsequently, the model is adopted to investigate the effect of excavation pit on these wave processes, particularly for the wave-driven current, in the 2DH reef configuration. The present model is finally used to examine the influences of incident wave conditions and pit morphological features on the wave characteristics in the 2DH reef environment. • Wave processes over 2DH fringing reefs with excavation pit are numerically investigated. • Both impacts of wave forcing conditions and pit morphological factors are examined. • The pit causes both less SS wave transmission and IG wave amplification behind the pit. • The pit results in a mean current circulation around the pit on the reef flat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A method for achieving in-depth profile control using DPGs is proposed. • The method optimizes DPG injection slugs and the corresponding matching coefficients. • The optimal scheme yields a deeper migration depth and a high plugging efficiency of DPGs. In-depth profile control is an important technique used to improve oil recovery from the water-flooded reservoirs. But how to achieve in-depth profile control is a challenging task. This work investigates the feasibility of achieving in-depth profile control by striking a good balance between the plugging efficiency of dispersed particle gel (DPG) and the migration depths of DPGs in a given porous media. First, a polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogel is prepared, and its rheological properties are measured. Then, we shear the PAAm hydrogel with different durations to generate DPG suspensions with different particle size distributions. Finally, three DPG slugs with varied particle size distributions are sequentially injected into the sandpacks. The injection sequences and the corresponding particle size distributions of different DPG slugs are optimized based on the plugging efficiency and the migration depths of DPGs in a sandpack. Among the injection schemes tested, the optimal scheme is the one that comprises three DPG slugs with matching coefficients of 0.72, 0.78, and 0.46, respectively. These optimal DPG slugs can migrate into the deeper parts of the sandpack as well as yield a high plugging efficiency by forming bridging-plugging in the porous media. This study provides a new approach of achieving in-depth profile control by optimizing the injection sequence and particle size distribution of DPGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The orientation of the oligophagous cone-feeding moth Dioryctria abietella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) to host plants primarily relies on olfactory-related proteins, particularly those candidates highly expressed in antennae. Here, through a combination of expression profile, ligand-binding assay, molecular docking and site-directed mutagenesis strategies, we characterized the chemosensory protein (CSP) gene family in D. abietella. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analyses revealed the detectable expression of all 22 DabiCSPs in the antennae, of which seven genes were significantly enriched in this tissue. In addition, the majority of the genes (19/22 relatives) had the expression in at least one reproductive tissue. In the interactions of four antenna-dominant DabiCSPs and different chemical classes, DabiCSP1 was broadly tuned to 27 plant-derived odors, three man-made insecticides and one herbicide with high affinities (K i < 6.60 μM). By contrast, three other DabiCSPs (DabiCSP4, CSP6 and CSP17) exhibited a narrow odor binding spectrum, in response to six compounds for each protein. Our mutation analyses combined with molecular docking simulations and binding assays further identified four key residues (Tyr25, Thr26, Ile65 and Val69) in the interactions of DabiCSP1 and ligands, of which binding abilities of this protein to 12, 15, 16 and three compounds were significantly decreased compared to the wildtype protein, respectively. Our study reveals different odor binding spectra of four DabiCSPs enriched in antennae and identifies key residues responsible for the binding of DabiCSP1 and potentially active compounds for the control of this pest. [Display omitted] • Seven of 22 DabiCSPs were significantly enriched in antennae of D. abietella. • Four antenna-dominant DabiCSPs were differentially tuned to odor ligands. • DabiCSP1 could strongly interact with 31 compounds. • Residues Tyr25, Thr26, Ile65 and Val69 significantly affected the binding of DabiCSP1 to some ligands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholangiocarcinoma is a common malignancy with increasing incidence worldwide. Most patients are diagnosed at the advanced stage with poor survival rate. Laminin subunit γ2 (LAMC2) is a heparin binding-associated gene involved in tumorigenesis and has been implicated in the prognosis of various types of cancers. However, it is unclear whether expression of LAMC2 is associated with the clinical outcome of patients with cholangiocarcinoma. In the present study, the role and prognostic value of LAMC2 expression in patients with cholangiocarcinoma was investigated. Clinical information and pathological characteristics were analyzed and the association between LAMC2 expression and clinical characteristics, pathological findings and patient outcomes, including metastasis-free and disease-specific survival, were investigated. Data from 182 patients with cholangiocarcinoma were evaluated. High LAMC2 expression was associated with higher tumor stage (P<0.001), large duct type (P=0.024) and poor histological grade (P=0.002). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed high LAMC2 expression was associated with lower overall (P=0.003), disease-specific (P=0.0025), local recurrence-free (P<0.0001) and metastasis-free survival (P<0.0001). Moreover, multivariate analysis demonstrated that increased LAMC2 expression was a significant predictive risk factor for overall [hazard ratio (HR) 1.713; P=0.034], disease-specific (HR 2.011; P=0.039), local recurrence-free (HR 2.721; P<0.001) and metastasis-free survival (HR 3.117; P<0.001). Gene enrichment analysis using Gene Ontology showed that terms associated with LAMC2 upregulation were 'regulation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor-βsignaling pathway' and 'platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β signaling pathway'. The present study indicated that LAMC2 was upregulated in cholangiocarcinoma tumor tissue and had an inverse association with overall, disease-specific, local recurrence-free and metastasis-free survival in patients with cholangiocarcinoma. These results suggested that LAMC2 may serve as a potential biomarker for cholangiocarcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste heat recovery is a promising energy-saving solution for transportation. Especially for refrigerated trucks, combined cooling and power cycle via waste heat recovery is expected to meet diverse energy demands and reduce fuel consumption for refrigeration. However, the frequent engine fluctuations pose challenges for optimizing performance and raise safety concerns in waste heat recovery systems. Steady-state models often lack precision, and dynamic simulations require a significant amount of computational time. An off-design comprehensive performance map method has been developed to tackle these challenges, which can predict system outputs, identify mode switching, and assess vehicular improvements in real time. These demonstrate that the modified system has the potential to increase net power by 13.1 kW (7.2%) and fuel efficiency by 13.7 g/kWh (7.5%). As predicted, the combined cooling and power cycle under Artemis Motorway provides net power of 8.3 kW and cooling capacity of 9.9 kW, equivalent to fuel savings of 2.49 L/100 km and emission reduction of 64.7 g/km, resulting in a 5.4% improvement. The map method encapsulates the intricate relationships between operational parameters and system outputs, providing a certain degree of accuracy with deviations within 10% and millisecond-level feedback. However, the absence of inertia effects leads to some error tendencies, such as lower net power during highway conditions and higher net power in urban conditions. This study offers a more practical and applicable forecast solution for the operation and control of waste heat recovery in the real world, aiming to achieve reductions in fuel consumption and emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognizing the pressure on urban logistics and the overcapacity of urban public transportation systems during off-peak hours, this study investigates a subway-assisted delivery model. This is a system in which part of the goods to be delivered into a city can be transferred to specific subway stations in advance (e.g., during the night) using underground logistics. During the day, vehicles can then be replenished at these subway stations. In our study, we investigate how a system of this kind affects the decisions to be made by a logistics service provider. We introduce the vehicle routing problem with underground logistics to model how to find the best vehicle routes and goods transfer plan in this system. First, we formulate this problem as a mixed integer linear model. Then, we propose a problem-customized adaptive large neighborhood search heuristic algorithm to solve it. Numerical experiments demonstrate that our methodology performs well in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. Additionally, we discuss the resulting schedules and include a sensitivity analysis of the transfer prices to provide information that can be used in strategic and tactical decision making in a subway-assisted delivery system. • New subway-assisted delivery model for urban transport. • MILP model for small instances of the problem. • ALNS heuristic for large-scale instances of the problem. • Analysis of the freight system through real-world experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To assess the prevalence and associated factors of psychological distress among patients with chronic hepatitis B receiving oral antiviral therapy and explore the association between psychological distress and self‐management behaviours among this population. Design: A cross‐sectional study. Methods: A convenience sample of 188 patients with chronic hepatitis B receiving oral antiviral therapy was recruited from March‐October 2018 to complete a self‐report questionnaire including the Chinese version of Depression Anxiety Stress Scale‐21 and Chronic Hepatitis B Self‐Management Scale. Logistic regression analysis and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were used to determine the factors associated with psychological distress and the association between psychological distress and self‐management behaviours respectively. Results: The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms were 33.0%, 38.3% and 17.6% respectively. Depression was associated with older age, female gender, lower education level and longer treatment duration; anxiety was associated with female gender and longer treatment duration; and stress was associated with age of 31–40 years, female gender and unmarried status. There were significant associations between depression and anxiety symptoms and self‐management behaviours. Conclusion: Psychological distress was prevalent among patients with chronic hepatitis B receiving oral antiviral therapy and had a negative impact on self‐management. Interventions targeting depression and anxiety symptoms may be beneficial to improve self‐management behaviours for this population. Impact: This study explored the factors associated with psychological distress in patients with chronic hepatitis B receiving oral antiviral therapy. The findings showed psychological distress was more common in patients who were with older age, female, less educated, unmarried and receiving longer duration of treatment and psychological distress was significantly associated with self‐management behaviours. Nurses and other healthcare providers should provide interventions to reduce the risk of psychological distress and improve self‐management behaviours for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the electrode/electrolyte interfacial chemistry is the cornerstone of designing lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with superior performance. Graphite has been exclusively utilized as the anode material in state-of-the-art LIBs, whose interfacial chemistry has a profound impact on battery life and power delivery. However, current understanding of the graphite/electrolyte interface is still incomplete because of its intricate nature, which has driven unremitting explorations and breakthroughs in the past few decades. On the one hand, the applications of emerging experimental and computational tools have led researchers to re-examine several decades-old problems, such as the underlying mechanism of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation and the co-intercalation mystery. On the other hand, from anion-derived interfacial chemistry to artificial interphases, novel interfacial chemistry for graphite is being proposed to replace the traditional ethylene carbonate-derived SEI for better performances. By summarizing the latest advances in the emerging interfacial chemistry of graphite anodes in LIBs, this review affords a fresh perspective on interface science and engineering towards next-generation energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, an improved deadbeat predictive current control (DPCC) method with parameters identification for surface-mounted permanent magnet synchronous machines (SPMSMs) is proposed. With the proposed DPCC method, zero steady-state current error and deadbeat dynamic current response could be achieved, even with inaccurate initial motor parameters. On basis of the conventional DPCC method, a novel parameters identification for the stator resistance and inductance is developed, which is the main contribution of this article. The proposed parameters identification method works based on a reconstructed characteristic vector from the disturbance observer with current injection. Compared with traditional recursive-least-square methods, the proposed method can be implemented with greatly reduced computation burden. Additionally, since the design is established based on the fully discretized model, the effectiveness will be guaranteed on both low-frequency and high-frequency motors, which is a significant advantage of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the synthesis of borodepsipeptides utilizing boron-containing isocyanides is described. The target compounds were synthesized via Passerini three-component reaction (P-3CR), in which H2O was utilized as the solvent. Further, unlike conventional P-3CR, where Lewis acid catalysts are often required, the reported method requires no catalyst and proceeds in room temperature. A variety of aldehydes and acids were used as the building blocks to generate the desired products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A long-range interacting spin chain can exhibit temperature jump at the transition energy under the microcanonical description. After two identical long-range interacting subsystems of the same size at the same temperatures are weakly coupled, they exchange energy and the total microcanonical entropy of the full system increases irreversibly, leading to a violation of the Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics. In addition, microcanonical Monte Carlo simulations are performed to verify our conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-precision measurement of the isotropic diffuse γ-ray background (IGRB) has been extrapolated to the TeV energy region using the Fermi-LAT experiment. Various kinds of astrophysical sources are candidates for its origin. However, a consensus on the dominant source has been difficult to reach. Recent observations of the γ-ray emission of γ-ray bursts (GRBs), denoted as the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) component in the afterglow phase, in the sub-TeV energy region by MAGIC and HESS experiments shed new light on this topic. In this work, we revisit the contribution from the SSC component of GRBs to the IGRB. First, a sample set of GRB events is obtained and examined using observations from Fermi-LAT. Second, the SSC component, described by the energy ratio Rext and spectral index βext, is assigned to every GRB event. We can obtain the total spectrum contribution based on this GRB sample. We find that when Rext and βext reach ∼20% and −1.6, respectively, the contribution from GRB emission dominates in the energy region of hundreds of GeV. We hope that the LHAASO and CTA experiments under construction can observe a large number of GRBs to fix those parameters in coming years. A surviving tail is expected, which can serve to check our calculations based on future satellite experiments such as HERD and GAMMA400. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Context: Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) can cause neurologic deficits and needs urgent surgical intervention. Many clinical factors had been proposed to predict surgical outcomes in patients with SEA, but the predictive radiographic risk factors for residual neurologic deficits were not addressed sufficiently.Purpose: To analyze the clinical and radiographic risk factors for residual neurologic deficit in patients with SEA after surgical intervention of the thoracic or lumbar spine.Study Design/setting: A retrospective consecutive case series.Patient Sample: From January 2005 through December 2014, 53 patients with primary SEA, confirmed by culture or histopathology, in the thoracic or lumbar spine who underwent posterior-only approach surgery at our hospital.Outcome Measures: Neurologic status was assessed using the Frankel grading system preoperatively, postoperatively, and at final follow-up.Methods: The patients were allocated into two groups based on the presence of postoperative residual neurologic deficits. Patients' demographic, clinical, and factors based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were analyzed for their influence on residual neurologic deficits. Clinical factors included age, sex, diabetes, comorbidities, pathogens, affected spinal levels, the interval between onset of symptoms to surgery, preoperative neurologic status, presence of cauda equina syndrome, and surgical procedures. MRI factors included the distribution of abscesses within the spinal canal, presence of ring enhancement, presence of paravertebral abscess or psoas abscess, canal compromise anteroposterior (AP) ratio and cross-sectional area ratio, abscess length, and abscess thickness.Results: Thirty-five of the 53 patients (66%) had preoperative neurologic deficits, and 21 of 53 patients (40%) had postoperative residual neurologic deficits. Patients' neurologic status improved significantly after the surgery (p<.001). Risk factors including age, diabetes, cauda equina syndrome, presence of anterior with posterior (A+P) dural abscess, canal compromise AP ratio, cross-sectional area ratio, abscess length, and abscess thickness were significantly correlated with postoperative residual neurologic deficits. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, age ≥70 years, preoperative cauda equina syndrome, abscess length ≥5.5 cm and abscess thickness ≥0.8 cm were the four most significant factors related to residual neurologic deficits.Conclusions: In patients with SEA of the thoracic and lumbar spine, age ≥70 years, preoperative cauda equina syndrome, abscess length ≥5.5 cm and abscess thickness ≥0.8 cm were the most significant preoperative risk factors for residual neurologic deficits after surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen-rich and poly-nitrogen energetic materials have the advantages of high density, high formation enthalpy, and environmentally friendly as new energetic materials. Among them, cyclo-N5− is one of the most representative ionic nitrogen compounds. However, at present, the studies are mainly in the field of synthesis. This study mainly explores the compatibility of NaN5 with traditional energetic materials, hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB), and ammonium perchlorate (AP). The compatibility is an important parameter to evaluate the safety and reliability of propellants. Therefore, AP, cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine (HMX), cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX), hexanitrohexazaisowurtzitane (CL-20), HTPB were selected to study the compatibility of NaN5 in the means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results show that NaN5/AP, NaN5/HMX, NaN5/RDX, NaN5/CL-20 have good compatibility, whereas NaN5/HTPB exhibits moderate compatibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three-component Gross–Pitaevskii equation with an angular momentum rotational term can be served as a model to study spinor Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs) with time–space modulated interactions. Vortex solutions of the spinor BECs with spatiotemporally modulated interactions are worked out by similarity transformation. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulation of vortex states are demonstrated. Stable vortex states are obtained by adjusting the frequency of the external potential and the spatiotemporally modulated interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improper processing of sensitive personal data concerning disabled people in government information disclosure not only violates their privacy rights but also leads to discrimination, stigmatization, and other serious secondary harm, that have long been overlooked. China's procurator-led public-interest litigation system is a powerful tool for protecting the privacy rights of vulnerable groups. This paper contends that procurator-led public-interest litigation, as a supplement to and support for private-interest litigation, assists the Chinese government in fulfilling its international obligations to protect the right to privacy of disabled people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) has seen significant progress with the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), particularly Imatinib. However, a notable proportion of CML patients develop resistance to Imatinib, often due to the persistence of leukemia stem cells and resistance mechanisms independent of BCR::ABL1 This study investigates the roles of IL6R, IL7R, and MYC in Imatinib resistance by employing CRISPR/Cas9 for gene editing and the Non-Invasive Apoptosis Detection Sensor version 2 (NIADS v2) for apoptosis assessment. The results indicate that Imatinib-resistant K562 cells (K562-IR) predominantly express IL6R, IL7R, and MYC, with IL6R and MYC playing crucial roles in cell survival and sensitivity to Imatinib. Conversely, IL7R does not significantly impact cytotoxicity, either alone or in combination with Imatinib. Further genetic editing experiments confirm the protective functions of IL6R and MYC in K562-IR cells, suggesting their potential as therapeutic targets for overcoming Imatinib resistance in CML. This study contributes to understanding the mechanisms of Imatinib resistance in CML, proposing IL6R and MYC as pivotal targets for therapeutic strategies. Moreover, the utilization of NIADS v2 enhances our capability to analyze apoptosis and drug responses, contributing to a deeper understanding of CML pathogenesis and treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Several Pulsar Timing Array (PTA) Collaborations have recently provided strong evidence for a nHz Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Background (SGWB). Here we investigate the implications of a first-order phase transition occurring within the early Universe's dark quantum chromodynamics epoch, specifically within the framework of the mirror twin Higgs dark sector model. Our analysis indicates a distinguishable SGWB signal originating from this phase transition, which can explain the measurements obtained by PTAs. Remarkably, a significant portion of the parameter space for the SGWB signal also effectively resolves the existing tensions in both the H 0 and S 8 measurements in Cosmology. This intriguing correlation suggests a possible common origin of these three phenomena for 0.2 < Δ N eff < 0.5 , where the mirror dark matter component constitutes less than 30 % of the total dark matter abundance. Next-generation CMB experiments such as CMB-S4 can test this parameter region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this note, we investigate Jacobian conjecture through investigation of automorphisms of polynomial rings in characteristic p. Making use of the technique of inverse limits, we show that under Jacobian condition for a given homomorphism φ of the polynomial ring k[x1,…,xn], if φ preserves the maximal ideals, then φ is an automorphism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a position sensorless drive and online parameter estimation method for surface-mounted permanent magnet synchronous machines-based on adaptive full-state feedback current control is proposed. The position sensorless drive is established by the detection of the back-electromotive force in the $\gamma \delta$ synchronous reference frame, which is effective at the medium-speed and high-speed range. Besides, accurate estimation of the winding resistance, the stator inductance, and the flux linkage of the PM is achieved independently. Compared with the traditional recursive-least-square methods, the proposed parameter identification method can be easily implemented because of the significantly reduced execution time. With the help of the parameter identification, the precise position estimation can be achieved by the proposed sensorless control method regardless of the parameter variation during the operation. The stability of the proposed method is proved by the Lyapunov-function method. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is validated by the simulation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the impetus to accelerate worldwide market adoption of electrical vehicles and afford consumer electronics with better user experience, advancing fast-charging technology is an inevitable trend. However, current high-energy lithium-ion batteries are unable to support ultrafast power input without any adverse consequences, with the capacity fade and safety concerns of the mainstream graphite-based anodes being the key technological barrier. The aim of this review is to summarise the fundamentals, challenges, and solutions to enable graphite anodes that are capable of high-rate charging. First, we explore the complicated yet intriguing graphite–electrolyte interface during intercalation based on existing theories. Second, we analyse the key dilemmas facing fast-charging graphite anodes. Finally, some promising strategies proposed during the past few years are highlighted so as to outline current trends and future perspectives in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the formation of the vortex and slag entrainment in tundish is studied by using mathematical and physical simulation. This article aims at contributing to the understanding of the free surface vortex formation in continuous casting tundish at the end of casting. A 3D multiphase mathematical model using the renormalization group (RNG) k–ε turbulence model is developed to predict the vortex formation and slag layer behavior on the scale of the 1:4 water model of a two‐strand slab tundish. The Eulerian volume of fluid model is adopted to track the steel–slag–air free surface and vortex, and the effect of Coriolis force is considered in this simulation. An improved vortex prevention design is also proposed by changing the position of the diversion hole on the dam of the tundish, which is compared with the original scheme using numerical and physical simulation. The predicted results of the vortex structure and the critical height of the vortex formation agree well with the water modeling results. It is demonstrated that the critical height of the vortex formation is reduced significantly by regulating the position of the diversion hole on the dam near the outlet of the tundish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a series of new laboratory experiments were performed in a wave-current flume in the presence/absence of tidal current. Experimental results are reported for a variety of combined wave-current conditions based on an idealized barrier reef model. Result analysis shows that the mean water level on the reef flat was consistently lower during the shoreward current (flood tide) than that during the seaward current (ebb tide). Maximum wave set-up on the reef flat decreased significantly as the current flowrate changed from its seaward maximum to its shoreward maximum. A theoretical model, which was derived based on the cross-shore balances of momentum and energy, was proposed to reproduce the wave set-up on the reef flat in the presence of current. The model was then validated by the laboratory data. The key model parameter was found to decrease rapidly with increasing current flowrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the Gurney Flap (GF) has been used to improve the performance of Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) by enhancing its lift coefficient. Compared to HAWT, research on GF application for Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) is very limited. Moreover, most works studied a GF geometry attached to the trailing edge of a stationary airfoil, without considering the rotating effect experienced by VAWT. For this reason, a three-straight-bladed VAWT rotating blade with GF is studied by transient RANS simulation together with a stress-blended eddy simulation (SBES) turbulence model to investigate the GF height effect and the flow characteristics near the blade trailing edge. Results have shown that by introducing the blade rotating, an optimum GF height is found to be 3% of the blade chord, slightly higher than 2% chord in a stationary airfoil case. In addition, the presence of GF can delay deep stall of VAWT blades, thus eliminating negative instantaneous moment coefficient and improving the turbine performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-coding RNAs are fundamental to the competing endogenous RNA (CeRNA) hypothesis in oncology. Previous work focused on static CeRNA networks. We construct and analyze CeRNA networks for four sequential stages of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) based on multi-omics data of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs and mRNAs. We find that the networks possess a two-level bipartite structure: common competing endogenous network (CCEN) composed of an invariant set of microRNAs over all the stages and stage-dependent, unique competing endogenous networks (UCENs). A systematic enrichment analysis of the pathways of the mRNAs in CCEN reveals that they are strongly associated with cancer development. We also find that the microRNA-linked mRNAs from UCENs have a higher enrichment efficiency. A key finding is six microRNAs from CCEN that impact patient survival at all stages, and four microRNAs that affect the survival from a specific stage. The ten microRNAs can then serve as potential biomarkers and prognostic tools for LUAD. Author summary: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related human deaths worldwide. Lung adenocarcinoma is one of the most common subtypes, and has more pronounced genomic variations than other lung cancer subtypes. A milestone discovery in cancer research is the roles played by non-coding RNAs which have been identified as the oncogenic drivers and tumor suppressors. In cancer development, non-coding RNAs form an inseparable unity of RNA-level regulating networks in the intracellular environment, and the dynamical interplay and competition among different types of RNAs are playing a pivotal role. We have developed a quantitative approach to reconstructing the the mutual regulation networks of RNAs for the progressive stages of lung adenocarcinoma at the post-transcriptional level. Our analysis revealed the emergence of two characteristically distinct types of networks that possess a two-level bipartite structure, and we uncovered a number of key genes that affect or even determine the survival of patients at each stage. Our work establishes a more comprehensive gene-data analysis framework than previous ones, not only providing a tool to probe more deeply into the mechanisms of cancer evolution than previously possible but also having the potential to lead to more effective biomarkers and drug targets for lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium metal is recognized as one of the most promising anode materials owing to its ultrahigh theoretical specific capacity and low electrochemical potential. Nonetheless, dendritic Li growth has dramatically hindered the practical applications of Li metal anodes. Realizing spherical Li deposition is an effective approach to avoid Li dendrite growth, but the mechanism of spherical deposition is unknown. Herein, a diffusion‐reaction competition mechanism is proposed to reveal the rationale of different Li deposition morphologies. By controlling the rate‐determining step (diffusion or reaction) of Li deposition, various Li deposition scenarios are realized, in which the diffusion‐controlled process tends to lead to dendritic Li deposition while the reaction‐controlled process leads to spherical Li deposition. This study sheds fresh light on the dendrite‐free Li metal anode and guides to achieve safe batteries to benefit future wireless and fossil‐fuel‐free world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium metal is recognized as one of the most promising anode materials owing to its ultrahigh theoretical specific capacity and low electrochemical potential. Nonetheless, dendritic Li growth has dramatically hindered the practical applications of Li metal anodes. Realizing spherical Li deposition is an effective approach to avoid Li dendrite growth, but the mechanism of spherical deposition is unknown. Herein, a diffusion‐reaction competition mechanism is proposed to reveal the rationale of different Li deposition morphologies. By controlling the rate‐determining step (diffusion or reaction) of Li deposition, various Li deposition scenarios are realized, in which the diffusion‐controlled process tends to lead to dendritic Li deposition while the reaction‐controlled process leads to spherical Li deposition. This study sheds fresh light on the dendrite‐free Li metal anode and guides to achieve safe batteries to benefit future wireless and fossil‐fuel‐free world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All solid‐state sodium batteries (ASSBs) have attracted considerable attention due to their enhanced safety, long lifespan, and high energy density. However, several challenges have plagued the development of ASSBs, especially the relatively low ionic conductivity of solid‐state electrolytes (SSEs), large interfacial resistance, and low stability/compatibility between SSEs and electrodes. Here, a high‐performance all solid‐state sodium battery (NVP@C|PEGDMA‐NaFSI‐SPE|Na) is designed by employing carbon coated Na3V2(PO4)3 composite nanosheets (NVP@C) as the cathode, solvent‐free solid polymer electrolyte (PEGDMA‐NaFSI‐SPE) as the electrolyte and metallic sodium as the anode. The integrated electrolyte and cathode system prepared by the in situ polymerization process exhibits high ionic conductivity (≈10−4 S cm−1 at room temperature) and an outstanding electrolyte/electrode interface. Benefiting from these merits, the soft‐pack ASSB (NVP@C|PEGDMA‐NaFSI‐SPE|Na) delivers excellent cycling life over 740 cycles (capacity decay of only 0.007% per cycle) and maintains 95% of the initial reversible capacity with almost no self‐discharge even after resting for 3 months. Moreover, the bendable ASSB exhibits a high capacity of 106 mAh g−1 (corresponds to energy density of ≈355 Wh kg−1) at 0.5 C despite undergoing repeated bending for 535 cycles. This work offers a new strategy to fabricate high‐performance flexible ASSBs with a long lifespan and excellent flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel main‐chain liquid crystalline Diels—Alder dynamic networks (LCDANs) were prepared that exhibit unprecedented ease for actuator programming and reprocessing compared to existing liquid crystalline network (LCN) systems. Following cooling from 125 °C, LCDANs are deformed with aligned mesogens self‐locked at room temperature by slowly formed Diels–Alder (DA) bonds, which allows for the formation of solid 3D actuators capable of reversible shape change, and strip walker and wheel‐capable light‐driven locomotion upon either thermally or optically induced order–disorder phase transition. Any actuator can readily be erased at 125 °C and reprogrammed into a new one under ambient conditions. Moreover, LCDANs can be processed directly from melt (for example, fiber drawing) and from solution (for example, casting tubular actuators), which cannot be achieved with LCNs using exchangeable covalent bonds. The combined attributes of LCDANs offer significant progress toward developing easily programmable/processable LCN actuators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel main‐chain liquid crystalline Diels—Alder dynamic networks (LCDANs) were prepared that exhibit unprecedented ease for actuator programming and reprocessing compared to existing liquid crystalline network (LCN) systems. Following cooling from 125 °C, LCDANs are deformed with aligned mesogens self‐locked at room temperature by slowly formed Diels–Alder (DA) bonds, which allows for the formation of solid 3D actuators capable of reversible shape change, and strip walker and wheel‐capable light‐driven locomotion upon either thermally or optically induced order–disorder phase transition. Any actuator can readily be erased at 125 °C and reprogrammed into a new one under ambient conditions. Moreover, LCDANs can be processed directly from melt (for example, fiber drawing) and from solution (for example, casting tubular actuators), which cannot be achieved with LCNs using exchangeable covalent bonds. The combined attributes of LCDANs offer significant progress toward developing easily programmable/processable LCN actuators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uncertainty principle is one of the most remarkable features of quantum mechanics, originally expressed in terms of the standard deviation of two incompatible observables. Alternatively, it can be modified and written in the form of entropy to eliminate the defect in the form of standard deviation, and can also be generalized by including a memory particle that is entangled with the particle to be measured. Herein we consider a realistic scenario where the particle A to be measured is in an open environment and B as quantum memory is under an environment typically characterized by non-Markovian regimes. Specifically, it shows that the quantum memory and the non-Markovian effect can essentially inhibit the increase of uncertainty, however, the quantum memory-assisted uncertainty will finally inflate inevitably, due to that the quantum correlation of the system will be damaged gradually by the noise from the surrounding environments. To be explicit, we study the dynamic evolution of the entropic uncertainty and correlation in open system where both particles experience the noise channels. Meanwhile, we put forward some effective operation strategies to reduce the magnitude of the measurement uncertainty under the open systems. Furthermore, we explore the applications of the uncertainty relation investigated on entanglement witness and quantum channel capacity. Thus, our investigations might offer an insight into quantum measurement estimation in open systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperlipidemia is a common metabolic disorder and one of risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Clinical studies have shown that hyperlipidemia increases the risk of non-ischemic heart failure, while decreasing serum lipids can reverse heart dysfunction. Apart from indirectly affecting the function of the heart by promoting the development of atherosclerosis, hyperlipidemia also affects the systolic function and cardiac electrophysiological response of the heart directly, which may be related to gradual accumulation of cardiac lipids and consequent systemic oxidative stress, proinflammatory state and mitochondrial dysfunction. However, the mechanism underlying direct effects of hyperlipidemia on the heart are not fully understood. In this review, we provide an updated summary of recent experimental and clinical studies that focus on elucidating the mechanisms of the action of hyperlipidemia on cardiac function, the relationship between heart failure and serum lipids, and protective effects of lipid-lowering drugs on the heart. The exciting progress in this field supports the prospect of guiding early protection of the heart to benefit the patients with chronic hyperlipidemia and familial hyperlipidemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the production process of continuous casting slab, the unreasonable secondary cooling system can lead to serious crack defects. This study focuses on the problem of cracks in nuclear power stainless steel produced by vertical continuous casting under soft reduction conditions. Based on the actual production process parameters, the thermomechanical finite element model was established to investigate the effects of water distribution in the secondary cooling zones on cracks by using ProCAST. The results show that the stress concentration is obvious under the original process, especially the positions of 4 mm below the wide surface and 6 mm below the narrow surface. It is easy to generate cracks, and the area with the highest hot-tearing index is approximately 26 cm2. In addition, the secondary cooling system is adjusted based on the existing problems of the original process. The temperature of the casting slab rises by about 15°C at the solidification end point, and the length of the liquid core increases by about 0.5 m when the quantity of the water flow decreases in zone 2 and zone 3. The stress concentration is alleviated, and the possibility of cracking is reduced. Especially, it is evident that the proportion of water on the loose side margin increases from 40% to 45%, while the proportion of water on the fixed side margin of zone 3 is adjusted from 56% to 60%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let F be an algebraically closed field of prime characteristic, and W(m, n, 1) be the simple restricted Lie superalgebra of Witt type over F, which is the Lie superalgebra of superderivations of the superalgebra A (m ; 1) ⊗ ∧ (n) , where A (m ; 1) is the truncated polynomial algebra with m indeterminants and ∧(n) is the Grassmann algebra with n indeterminants. In this paper, the author determines the character formulas for a class of simple restricted modules of W(m, n, 1) with atypical weights of type I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Subcellular localization prediction of protein is an important component of bioinformatics, which has great importance for drug design and other applications. A multitude of computational tools for proteins subcellular location have been developed in the recent decades, however, existing methods differ in the protein sequence representation techniques and classification algorithms adopted. Results: In this paper, we firstly introduce two kinds of protein sequences encoding schemes: dipeptide information with space and Gapped k-mer information. Then, the Gapped k-mer calculation method which is based on quad-tree is also introduced. Conclusions: >From the prediction results, this method not only reduces the dimension, but also improves the prediction precision of protein subcellular localization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pharyngeal organ is located at the crossroad of the respiratory and digestive tracts in vertebrate, and it is continuously challenged by varying Ags during breathing and feeding. In mammals, the pharyngeal mucosa (PM) is a critical first line of defense. However, the evolutionary origins and ancient roles of immune defense and microbiota homeostasis of PM are still unknown. In this study, to our knowledge, we are the first to find that diffuse MALT is present in PM of rainbow trout, an early vertebrate. Importantly, following parasitic infection, we detect that strong parasite-specific mucosal IgT and dominant proliferation of IgT+ B cell immune responses occurs in trout PM, providing, to our knowledge, the first demonstration of local mucosal Ig responses against pathogens in pharyngeal organ of a nonmammal species. Moreover, we show that the trout PM microbiota is prevalently coated with secretory IgT and, to a much lesser degree, by IgM and IgD, suggesting the key role of mucosal Igs in the immune exclusion of teleost pharyngeal bacteria. Overall, to our knowledge, our findings provide the first evidence that pharyngeal mucosal immunity appear earlier than tetrapods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important means of transportation, urban rail transit provides effective mobility, sufficient punctuality, strong security, and environment-friendliness in large cities. However, this transportation mode cannot offer a 24-h service to passengers with the consideration of operation cost and the necessity of maintenance, that is, a final time should be set. Therefore, operators need to design a last train timetable in consideration of the number of successful travel passengers and the total passenger transfer waiting time. This paper proposes a bi-level last train timetable optimization model. Its upper level model aims to maximize the number of passengers who travel by the last train service successful and minimize their transfer waiting time, and its lower level model aims to determine passenger route choice considering the detour routing strategy based on the last train timetable. A genetic algorithm is proposed to solve the upper level model, and the lower level model is solved by a semi-assignment algorithm. The implementation of the proposed model in the Beijing urban rail transit network proves that the model can optimize not only the number of successful transfer directions and successful travel passengers but also the passenger transfer waiting time of successful transfer directions. The optimization results can provide operators detailed information about the stations inaccessible to passengers from all origin stations and uncommon path guides for passengers of all origin–destination pairs. These types of information facilitate the operation of real-world urban rail transit systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a signaling scheme for information embedding into the illumination of radar using frequency-hopping pulses. A frequency-hopping-based joint radar-communication system enables implementing a primary radar operation and a secondary communication function simultaneously. Then, we consider the problems of radar codes optimization under a peak-to-average-power ratio and an energy constraint. These radar codes design problems can be converted into non-convex quadratic programs with a finite or an infinite number of quadratic constraints. All problems are proved to be NP-hard optimization problems. Therefore, we develop optimization approaches, resorting to semi-definite programming relaxation technique along with to the idea of trigonometric polynomials, offering expected approximate solutions with a polynomial time calculation burden. We assess the capability of the proposed schemes, considering both the detection probability and the robustness in correspondence of Doppler shifts offered by the Neyman–Pearson detector. Simulation results show an improvement in detection performance as the average signal-to-noise ratio value increases, while still maintaining low symbol error rates between the proposed system nodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A high-level problem decomposition framework for vehicle routing problem based on Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM). • A linearization technique for simplifying quadratic objective term in ADMM model when handling binary integer decision variables. • A coherent iterative solution approach for simultaneously generating upper bound and lower bound solutions. • Real-world testing data sets used to examine performance of proposed ADMM solution framework. Emerging urban logistics applications need to address various challenges, including complex traffic conditions and time-sensitive requirements. In this study, in the context of urban logistics, we consider a vehicle routing problem with time-dependent travel times and time windows (VRPTW), and the goal is to minimize the total generalized costs including the transportation, waiting time, and fixed costs associated with each vehicle. We adopt a high-dimensional space–time network flow model to formulate an underlying vehicle routing problem (VRP) with a rich set of criteria and constraints. A difficult issue, when solving VRPs, is how to iteratively improve both the primal and dual solution quality in general and how to break the symmetry generated by many identical solutions, particularly with homogeneous vehicles. Along this line, many coupling constraints, such as the consensus constraints across different agents or decision makers, need to be carefully addressed to find high-quality optimal or close-to-optimal solutions under medium- or large-scale instances. Currently, the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) is widely used in the field of convex optimization, as an integration of the augmented Lagrangian relaxation and block coordinate descent methods, for machine learning and large-scale continuous systems optimization and control. In this work, we introduce the use of ADMM to solve the multi-VRP, which is a special case of integer linear programming, and demonstrate a manner to reduce the quadratic penalty terms used in ADMM into simple linear functions. In a broader context, a computationally reliable decomposition framework is developed to iteratively improve both the primal and dual solution quality. Essentially, the least-cost path subproblem or other similar subproblems involving binary decisions can be embedded into a sequential solution scheme with an output of both lower bound estimates and upper bound feasible solutions. We examine the performance of the proposed approach using classical Solomon VRP benchmark instances. We also evaluate our approach on a real-world instance based on a problem-solving competition by Jingdong Logistics, a major E-commerce company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let 𝔤 = 𝔰 𝔩 (3 , k) be a simple Lie algebra of type A 2 over an algebraically closed field k of prime characteristic p and U χ (𝔤) be the reduced enveloping algebra of 𝔤. In this paper, when the p -character χ is regular nilpotent and has standard Levi form, we precisely determine the Lowey series of principal indecomposable U χ (𝔤) -modules and the dimensions for the self-extension of irreducible U χ (𝔤) -modules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]