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The current study examined a multiple mediator model based on the control‐value theory. A sample of 433 Chinese junior middle school students participated in questionnaires assessing teacher‐student relationships (TSRs), academic emotions, academic value (AV), and academic self‐efficacy (ASE). English test scores were collected as an indicator of students' English academic performance. The results indicated the following: (a) for academic enjoyment, the TSR has an effect on academic achievement through the chain intermediary of AV and ASE; (b) for academic relaxation, the TSR has an effect on English academic achievement through the single intermediary of academic relaxation and the chain intermediary of AV, ASE, and academic relaxation; (c) for academic anxiety, the TSR has an effect on English academic achievement through the single intermediary of AV, the single intermediary of academic anxiety, and the chain intermediary of AV, ASE, and academic anxiety; (d) for academic boredom, the TSR has an effect on English academic achievement through the single intermediary of academic boredom. These findings enrich the relevant research on the control‐value theory and provide important insights for improving students' English academic achievement. Highlights: The teacher‐student relationship predicted English academic achievementThe academic value and academic self‐efficacy predicted English academic achievementAcademic enjoyment/relaxation positively predicts English academic achievement and academic anxiety/boredom negatively predicts English academic achievement [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure and mechanical properties of marine 10Ni5CrMoV steel are systematically investigated at tempering temperatures ranging from 630 to 670 °C. With increasing tempering temperature, several key parameters exhibit notable changes: the volume fraction of reversed austenite decreases from 17.36% to 13.39%. The equivalent grain size increases from 0.91 to 1.09 μm. The equivalent diameter of precipitates increases from 59 to 79 nm. The dislocation density decreases from 0.82 × 10−15 to 0.51 × 10−15 m−2. As the tempering temperature increases, the pinning effect of precipitates on dislocations and martensite laths decreases. This leads to reductions in both dislocation strengthening and precipitation strengthening mechanisms. Consequently, the yield strength of the specimen decreases from 876 to 683 MPa. The increase in the ductile‐brittle transition temperature of the specimens from −116 to −95 °C can be attributed to several factors. First, the increase in precipitate size reduces the critical nucleation stress of cleavage cracks and promotes the nucleation of such cracks. Additionally, the decrease in dislocation density mobility leads to a reduction in the dimple nucleation rate, thereby diminishing the role of dimples in hindering crack propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), is a devastating fungal disease, leading to huge yield losses in wheat production. Identification of resistance genes and closely linked molecular markers can greatly facilitate breeding resistant wheat cultivars. Shaannong69 conferred high resistance to stripe rust both at the seedling and adult-plant stages. The Pst race CYR31 was used to infect Shaannong69, Huixianhong, F1 and F2 plants and F2:3 lines at the seedling stage in the greenhouse. Genetic analysis identified a single dominant gene, designated as YrSN69, conferring resistance to Pst race CYR31 in Shaannong69. Seventy-four of 176 SNPs with the absolute value of ∆SNP-index more than 0.85 were identified in 753.33–766.18 Mb on chromosome 2BL based on bulked segregant RNA sequencing. Fifteen kompetitive allele-specific PCR markers were developed to genotype susceptible F2 plants derived from the Shaannong69/Huixianhong cross. YrSN69 was mapped on chromosome arm 2BL in a 2.0 cM genetic interval, with genetic distances of 0.2 cM and 1.8 cM to markers 2BC17 and 2BA20, respectively, corresponding to a 3.16 Mb physical region based on the IWGSC RefSeq v1.1 with 44 high-confidence annotated genes. The YrSN69 is likely to be a new allele of Yr72 in comparison with known Yr genes on chromosome 2BL. These results provide a solid foundation for map-based cloning of YrSN69 and marker-assisted selection for pyramiding stripe rust resistance genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature has witnessed an upsurge of interest in model selection in diverse fields and optimization applications. Despite the substantial progress, model selection remains a significant challenge when covariates are highly correlated, particularly within economic and financial datasets that exhibit cross‐sectional and serial dependency. In this paper, we introduce a novel methodology named factor augmented regularized model selection with weak factors (WeakFARM) for generalized linear models in the presence of correlated covariates with weak latent factor structure. By identifying weak latent factors and idiosyncratic components and employing them as predictors, WeakFARM converts the challenge from model selection with highly correlated covariates to that with weakly correlated ones. Furthermore, we develop a variable screening method based on the proposed WeakFARM method. Comprehensive theoretical guarantees including estimation consistency, model selection consistency and sure screening property are also provided. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach by extensive simulation studies and a real data application in economic forecasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study concerns the practical fixed‐time consensus tracking problem of second‐order nonlinear multi‐agent systems (MASs) with switching topologies. The neural network (NN) and adaptive technique are adopted to compensate the unknown nonlinearities of the followers. Then, an adaptive NN‐based fixed‐time controller is designed under switching interaction topologies. In order to give the rigorous proof of the practical fixed‐time consensus tracking, a novel lemma for analyzing the practical fixed‐time stability of the switched error system is firstly established, then by constructing appropriate topology‐dependent multiple Lyapunov functions, we theoretically show that the practical fixed‐time consensus tracking of the closed‐loop MASs can be ensured provided that the dwell time of the switching topologies is larger than a predefined threshold and further the involved control parameters are suitably selected. Moreover, the settling time estimation is explicitly given, which is regardless of the system's initial values. The theoretical results are finally verified via a numerical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy localization in Hermitian systems has been utilized to generate ultra-sensitivity. Here, we report the interplay between non-Hermitian parity-time (PT) symmetry breaking and the mode localization transition. In our scheme, a PT-symmetric system consists of two coupled LC (inductor–capacitor) resonators: one has a linear loss and the other has a saturated gain described by a nonlinear model. The nonlinear gain is initially set to be slightly higher than the loss, and the system is operated at the exact PT-symmetric phase close to an exceptional point. The capacitance variation applied on the loss resonator, i.e., perturbation, causes PT-symmetry to break, generating complex frequencies. As a result of nonlinear gain, the resonator will grow to reach its steady state and saturate out the gain. This stable oscillation eliminates the complex frequencies, and the mode is ultimately localized at the gain side. We have observed that the voltage amplitude of the gain resonator due to the perturbation has experienced drastic changes. The amplitude ratio before and after the perturbation is sensitive to the perturbation. Our results provide an approach to study perturbation-driven localization phenomena in a PT-symmetric system and pave the way for sensors with ultrahigh sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive local movement and inflammation are common problems in the process of wound repair, which lead to failure of later repair. In order to solve this problem, inspired by the octopus sucker structure, we successfully developed a photocrosslinked hydrogel that can adsorb skin surface fascia. In addition, extracellular vesicles from human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells are encapsulated in the octopus like sucker structure. The morphology and structure of extracellular vesicles in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were detected by scanning electron microscopy and particle size analysis. Through iTRAQ, we tested the expression of angiogenesis related proteins contained in extracellular vesicles. Design small interfering RNA to verify its impact on angiogenic related genes and proteins. Macrophage polarization was detected by immunofluorescence. The expression of new blood vessels was detected by constructing a skin defect model and injecting microfil contrast agent into the heart. When the sucker is firmly adsorbed on the damaged wound, the sucker will slowly degrade. Using its delivery system, it is observed that the extracellular vesicles are released in the wound. Through iTRAQ, it was found that the angiogenesis regulator (angiopoietin-like 4, angiopoietin-like 3 and aminopeptidase N) released in the extracellular vesicles regulates collagen deposition, angiogenesis, and inhibits macrophage aggregation. In addition, the slowly released extracellular vesicles will further inhibit the polarization of proinflammatory macrophages. This biological behavior can provide an adaptive microenvironment for skin regeneration at an early stage. This new bionic octopus sucker structure gel creates a good microenvironment for wound repair and shortens the wound healing time. Therefore, this hydrogel inspired by the octopus sucker structure may provide a good strategy and commercial value for promoting wound repair treatment in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing collaborative behavior is crucial in educational activities, directly improving academic performance, social skills, and social-emotional learning for both teachers and students. In an effort to decipher the mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of collaborative learning, educators and neuroscientists have initiated the collection and analysis of learners' physiological parameters during such collaborative exercises. Considering both accuracy and portability, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) has emerged as a viable tool. The current study aims to understand its potential for studying neural mechanisms of collaboration. Sixty articles were reviewed from three databases to address three research questions: (1) What are the characteristics (i.e., number of publications per year and for different age groups of participants, sample size, and the usage of fNIRS devices) of fNIRS-based collaboration research? (2) What experimental designs are commonly employed in fNIRS-based collaboration research? (3) What is the relationship between neural activity and interactive behavioral performance? The results provide a comprehensive descriptive statistical analysis of the literature characteristics and offer a detailed summary of the research methods employed, including the experimental protocol, task, and duration. Importantly, these findings demonstrate compelling evidence of inter-brain synchrony (IBS), indicating synchronized cortical activities between interacting individuals, and it was observed in the prefrontal cortex or temporoparietal cortex during collaboration and interaction tasks, highlighting the crucial role of these brain regions in facilitating collaborative behavior. The finding of this review advanced our understanding of how fNIRS is ultilized in collaborative research and offer practical implications for designing educational interventions or programs aimd at enhancing collaborative behaviors and their associated benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we mainly study the asymptotic monotonicity of positive solutions for fractional parabolic equation on the right half space. First, a narrow region principle for antisymmetric functions in unbounded domains is obtained, in which we remarkably weaken the decay condition u → 0 at infinity and only assume its growth rate does not exceed | x | γ (0 < γ < 2 s ) compared with (Adv. Math. 377:107463, 2021). Then we obtain asymptotic monotonicity of positive solutions of fractional parabolic equation on R + N × (0 , ∞) . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-reciprocity is a crucial concept in the field of signal transmission and processing as it protects sensitive elements from the effects of feedback signal. The non-reciprocal components based on ferrite materials are bound to show shortcomings due to incompatibility with chip-level ICs. In recent years, parity-time (PT)-symmetric non-reciprocal transmission in electronic systems has been proposed and analyzed. Here, we propose the simplified noise analysis model based on a PT-symmetric non-reciprocal transmission system. And we verify the theoretical noise model by simulation analysis and experimental demonstrations. The experimental result shows that the noise figure of the proposed PT-symmetric non-reciprocal transmission device is 7.5 dB because of the employment of the active amplifier. This work establishes a noise performance analysis framework, providing guidance for the development of lossless and miniaturized applications of non-reciprocal components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) formation following open surgical treatment of hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC) is a common and troublesome complication. To date, the postoperative protocol of restarting oral intake is not clear, and vast discrepancies exist in the literature and among institutions. This study aimed to explore the impact of a postoperative protocol of restarting oral intake on PCF formation after open surgical treatment of primary HPC, and its impact on overall survival (OS) and swallowing function based on the functional outcome swallowing scale (FOSS). Materials and Methods: This was a prospective observational study of 42 patients who received open surgical treatment for primary HPC at Beijing Friendship Hospital between April 2019 and August 2021. This cohort included two groups: patients who restarted oral intake on the 10th postoperative day (Group 1), and those who started on the 20th (Group 2). The Chi-square test and Fisher's exact chi-squared test were used for comparing qualitative data among the groups. Results: Group 1 (n = 27) and Group 2 (n = 15) were comparable in clinical characteristics. PCF occurred in 7 (25.9%) patients in Group 1, while none occurred in Group 2 (P = 0.038). The 2-year OS of all 42 patients was 75.6%; 65.8% and 93.3% for Groups 1 and 2, respectively (P = 0.07). The swallowing function was satisfactory (FOSS Grades 0–III) for 19 (70.4%) patients in Group 1 and 15 (100%) patients in Group 2 (P = 0.035). Laryngeal preservation was achieved in 25 (59.5%) patients, while decannulation was successful in 22 (88.0%) patients. Conclusions: Delayed oral feeding significantly reduces PCF after open surgical treatment of primary HPC, and improves the swallowing function outcome without jeopardizing the OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The chronic inflammatory immune response is a significant factor in the pathogenesis of benign gynecological diseases. The systemic immunoinflammatory index (SII) and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are commonly available biomarkers of inflammation. However, evidence of the relationship between SII and PLR in patients with adenomyosis is limited. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between SII and PLR in patients with adenomyosis. Methods. This cross-sectional study included 483 patients with adenomyosis who were first diagnosed at our institution between January 2019 and December 2021. Basic patient clinical information and inflammatory factors were collected for univariate analysis, smoothed curve fitting, and multivariate segmented linear regression. Results. The results of the univariate analysis showed a significant positive correlation between PLR levels and SII (P < 0.001). In addition, a nonlinear relationship between PLR and SII was tested using a smoothed curve fit after adjusting for potential confounders. Multiple segmented linear regression models showed a significant relationship between SII and PLR in both SII < 1,326.47 (β 0.14, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.16; P < 0.0001) and >1,326.47 (β 0.02, 95% CI: −0.01, 0.05; P = 0.2461). Conclusions. In conclusion, this study showed a nonlinear relationship between SII and PLR in patients with uterine adenomyosis. An increase in serum PLR levels correlates with an increase in SII before SII levels reach an inflection point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Heteroatom doping is a possible way to regulate the catalytic capability of electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). This work focuses on the development of bimetallic Cobalt-Iron sulfide ultrathin nanosheets supported on the graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) catalyst as efficient HER electrocatalysts (CoS 2 /FeS 2 /CN) with good stability at wide pH value. The ultrathin nanosheet exposes more active sites and enhances the catalyst activity. Electrochemical experiments demonstrate that adding g-C 3 N 4 and Fe to CoS 2 increases its catalytic activity and stability. Furthermore, g-C 3 N 4 and Fe co-doped with CoS 2 can modulate electronic structures on the interface. The CoS 2 /FeS 2 /CN exhibits outstanding HER performance, reaching a current density of 10 mA cm−2 with overpotentials of only 76.5 mV in an acidic solution and 175.6 mV in an alkaline solution. It also demonstrates exceptional durability, superior to commercial platinum/carbon catalysts. This work introduces a promising approach for designing low-cost, high-performance HER electrocatalysts with a wide pH range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs, which, as members of the RNA interference pathway, play a pivotal role in antiviral infection. Almost 80% of plant viruses are transmitted by insect vectors; however, little is known about the interaction of the miRNAs of insect vectors with plant viruses. Here, we took rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV), a devastating virus to rice production in eastern Asia, and the small brown planthopper, (SBPH, Laodelphax striatellus) as a model to investigate the role of microRNA750-3p (miR750-3p) in regulating viral transmission. Our results showed that Ls-miR750-3p was downregulated in RBSDV-infected SBPH and predominately expressed in the midgut of SBPH. Injection with miR750-3p agomir significantly reduced viral accumulation, and the injection with the miR750-3p inhibitor, antagomir-750-3p, dramatically promoted the viral accumulation in SBPH, as detected using RT-qPCR and Western blotting. The processing of precursor 7 (POP7), a subunit of RNase P and RNase MRP, was screened, identified, and verified using a dual luciferase reporter assay as one target of miR750-3p. Knockdown of POP7 notably increased RBSDV viral propagation in SBPH and then increased the viral transmission rate by SBPH. Taken together, our data indicate that miR750-3p targets POP7 to suppress RBSDV infection in its insect vector. These results enriched the role of POP7 in modulating virus infection in host insects and shared new insight into the function of miRNAs in plant virus and insect vector interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Nitazoxanide is a therapeutic anthelmintic drug. Our previous studies found that nitazoxanide and its metabolite tizoxanide activated adenosine 5′‐monophosphate‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibited signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signals. As AMPK activation and/or STAT3 inhibition are targets for treating pulmonary fibrosis, we hypothesized that nitazoxanide would be effective in experimental pulmonary fibrosis. Experimental Approach: The mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate of cells was measured by using the high‐resolution respirometry system Oxygraph‐2K. The mitochondrial membrane potential of cells was evaluated by tetramethyl rhodamine methyl ester (TMRM) staining. The target protein levels were measured by using western blotting. The mice pulmonary fibrosis model was established through intratracheal instillation of bleomycin. The examination of the lung tissues changes were carried out using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E), and Masson staining. Key Results: Nitazoxanide and tizoxanide activated AMPK and inhibited STAT3 signalling in human lung fibroblast cells (MRC‐5 cells). Nitazoxanide and tizoxanide inhibited transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1)‐induced proliferation and migration of MRC‐5 cells, collagen‐I and α‐smooth muscle cell actin (α‐SMA) expression, and collagen‐I secretion from MRC‐5 cells. Nitazoxanide and tizoxanide inhibited epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and inhibited TGF‐β1‐induced Smad2/3 activation in mouse lung epithelial cells (MLE‐12 cells). Oral administration of nitazoxanide reduced the bleomycin‐induced mice pulmonary fibrosis and, in the established bleomycin‐induced mice, pulmonary fibrosis. Delayed nitazoxanide treatment attenuated the fibrosis progression. Conclusions and Implications: Nitazoxanide improves the bleomycin‐induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice, suggesting a potential application of nitazoxanide for pulmonary fibrosis treatment in the clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research looks at the influence of coping behavior in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on students' physical/psychological health and general well-being.Methods: The study's participants were chosen from a pool of 2200 people using convenience sampling. Using an anonymous online poll, the main data were gathered. The collected data were analyzed by using Smart-PLS.Results: From eight direct correlations, seven were found to be true, except the route pandemic -> overall wellbeing, which was not true. Furthermore, it was shown that the mediating effect of coping behavior was statistically significant in the routes of mediation.Conclusion: Coping strategies have a significant role in how a person responds to trying circumstances. Our study's results suggest that coping strategies had a statistically significant mediation role in reducing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is concluded that appropriate coping strategies are an effective adaptation of a protective barrier against the damaging effects of COVID-19 on health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease (PD) is an age‐related chronic neurological disorder, mainly characterized by the pathological feature of α‐synuclein (α‐syn) aggregation, with the exact disease pathogenesis unclear. During the onset and progression of PD, synaptic dysfunction, including dysregulation of axonal transport, impaired exocytosis, and endocytosis are identified as crucial events of PD pathogenesis. It has been reported that over‐expression of α‐syn impairs clathrin‐mediated endocytosis (CME) in the synapses. However, the underlying mechanisms still needs to be explored. In this study, we investigated the molecular events underlying the synaptic dysfunction caused by over‐expression of wild‐type human α‐syn and its mutant form, involving series of proteins participating in CME. We found that excessive human α‐syn causes impaired fission and uncoating of clathrin‐coated vesicles during synaptic vesicle recycling, leading to reduced clustering of synaptic vesicles near the active zone and increased size of plasma membrane and number of endocytic intermediates. Furthermore, over‐expressed human α‐syn induced changes of CME‐associated proteins, among which synaptojanin1 (SYNJ1) showed significant reduction in various brain regions. Over‐expression of SYNJ1 in primary hippocampal neurons from α‐syn transgenic mice recovered the synaptic vesicle density, clustering and endocytosis. Using fluorescence‐conjugated transferrin, we demonstrated that SYNJ1 re‐boosted the CME activity by restoring the phosphatidylinositol‐4,5‐bisphosphate homeostasis. Our data suggested that over‐expression of α‐syn disrupts synaptic function through interfering with vesicle recycling, which could be alleviated by re‐availing of SYNJ1. Our study unrevealed a molecular mechanism of the synaptic dysfunction in PD pathogenesis and provided a potential therapeutic target for treating PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The necessity for the development and enhancement of teacher commitment to satisfying students' learning needs in response to the COVID crisis is increasingly highlighted. It is not known, however, how to increase commitment in schoolteachers to boost online teaching in light of the fact that they, too, are struggling to cope with the rapid, unexpected change. A total of 601 teachers from primary and secondary schools across China participated in this study, with an average teaching experience of 15.9 years. Structural equation modelling was used to verify the significance of contextual, cognitive, affective and behavioural factors in boosting teachers' commitment to online teaching. The findings demonstrated that teacher agency played a complete mediating role in the predicting power of other factors to teacher commitment. Therefore, it was recommended that attention be paid to the practice and opportunities for teacher agentic actions, which necessitates real encounters with online teaching, allowing teachers to act meaningfully and initiate a new set of teaching strategies. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic The large‐scale transition to emergency online teaching serves as the catalyst for creating a blended or hybrid model of education provision in the long term.How hard teachers work to perform at their best and overcome obstacles to support students' learning needs in new environment relies on the intensity of teacher commitment to change.Online and blended learning requires teachers to not only be prepared for a diverse learning environment but also to build and rebuild their own identity as future teachers.What this paper adds This study adds to our knowledge of how traditional F2F classroom teachers reinvented their roles and responsibilities in response to the pandemic‐driven challenges based on real‐world experiences.As a result of the COVID‐19 lockdown school closures, schoolteachers' commitment to enhancing online teaching efforts has increased.The study highlights the complete mediating role of teacher agency in the predicting power of cognitive and affective factors to teacher commitment.Implications for practice and/or policy To learn more about how to be a good online teacher, future teachers need greater deliberate effort in diverse online teaching activities.Future teachers should be equipped with not only new technological and remote instructional strategies and skills, but also with confidence in, value for, and actual experiences with online teaching in a technology‐rich environment.For teachers to obtain hands‐on experience in integrating technology with distance teaching pedagogy at a time of rapid change, schools should have some days online and offer blended learning opportunities wherever possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate, at population and individual patient levels, the sustained response of reduction in migraine headache days in patients with migraine treated with galcanezumab. Methods: This was a post hoc analysis of double‐blind galcanezumab studies in patients with migraine: two 6‐month episodic migraine (EM; EVOLVE‐1/EVOLVE‐2), one 3‐month chronic migraine (CM; REGAIN), and one 3‐month treatment‐resistant migraine (CONQUER). Patients received monthly subcutaneous galcanezumab 120 mg (after 240 mg initial loading dose), galcanezumab 240 mg, or placebo. In the EM and CM studies, the proportions of patients with ≥50% and ≥75% (EM only) reduction from baseline in average monthly migraine headache days from Months 1 to 3 and Months 4 to 6 were evaluated. A mean monthly response rate was estimated. The sustained effect was defined as maintaining ≥50% response for ≥3 consecutive months in the patient‐level data for EM and CM. Results: A total of 3348 patients with EM or CM from the EVOLVE‐1/EVOLVE‐2 (placebo, n = 894, galcanezumab, n = 879), REGAIN (placebo, n = 558, galcanezumab, n = 555), and CONQUER (EM: placebo, n = 132, galcanezumab, n = 137; CM: placebo, n = 98, galcanezumab, n = 95) studies were included. Patients were predominantly female, White, and had monthly migraine headache day averages ranging from 9.1 to 9.5 days (EM) and 18.1 to 19.6 days (CM). In patients with EM and CM, 19.0% and 22.6% of galcanezumab‐treated patients, respectively, had significantly higher maintenance of ≥50% response for all months in the double‐blind period compared to 8.0% and 1.5% of placebo‐treated patients. The odds ratios (OR) of achieving clinical response for EM and CM were double with galcanezumab (OR = 3.0 [95% CI 1.8, 4.8] and OR = 6.3 [95% CI 1.7, 22.7], respectively). At the individual patient level, of patients who had ≥75% response at Month 3 in the galcanezumab 120 and 240 mg dose groups and placebo group, 39.9% (55/138) and 43.0% (61/142), respectively, of galcanezumab‐treated patients maintained ≥75% response during Months 4–6 compared to 32.7% (51/156) with placebo. Conclusion: More galcanezumab‐treated patients achieved ≥50% response within the first 3 months of treatment compared to placebo; responses were sustained during Months 4–6. The odds of achieving ≥50% response were double with galcanezumab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and robust prostate segmentation in transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) images is of great interest for ultrasound-guided brachytherapy for prostate cancer. However, the current practice of manual segmentation is difficult, time-consuming, and prone to errors. To overcome these challenges, we developed an accurate prostate segmentation framework (A-ProSeg) for TRUS images. The proposed segmentation method includes three innovation steps: (1) acquiring the sequence of vertices by using an improved polygonal segment-based method with a small number of radiologist-defined seed points as prior points; (2) establishing an optimal machine learning-based method by using the improved evolutionary neural network; and (3) obtaining smooth contours of the prostate region of interest using the optimized machine learning-based method. The proposed method was evaluated on 266 patients who underwent prostate cancer brachytherapy. The proposed method achieved a high performance against the ground truth with a Dice similarity coefficient of 96.2% ± 2.4%, a Jaccard similarity coefficient of 94.4% ± 3.3%, and an accuracy of 95.7% ± 2.7%; these values are all higher than those obtained using state-of-the-art methods. A sensitivity evaluation on different noise levels demonstrated that our method achieved high robustness against changes in image quality. Meanwhile, an ablation study was performed, and the significance of all the key components of the proposed method was demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of high-efficiency multi-component composite anode nanomaterials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) is critical for advancing the further practical application. Numerous multi-component nanomaterials are constructed typically via confinement strategies of surface templating or three-dimensional encapsulation. Herein, a composite of heterostructural multiple sulfides (MoS2/SnS/CoS) well-dispersed on graphene is prepared as an anode nanomaterial for SIBs, via a distinctive lattice confinement effect of a ternary CoMoSn-layered double-hydroxide (CoMoSn-LDH) precursor. Electrochemical testing demonstrates that the composite delivers a high-reversible capacity (627.6 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.1 A g−1) and high rate capacity of 304.9 mA h g−1 after 1000 cycles at 5.0 A g−1, outperforming those of the counterparts of single-, bi- and mixed sulfides. Furthermore, the enhancement is elucidated experimentally by the dominant capacitive contribution and low charge-transfer resistance. The precursor-based lattice confinement strategy could be effective for constructing uniform composites as anode nanomaterials for electrochemical energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to firstly, find out does the relationship between finance, trade and income inequality provides matching evidence using the macro- and firm-level data? Secondly, whether a causal relationship from the firm-specific data can be established. Design/methodology/approach: The authors employed a panel data fixed effect regression and two-stage least square (2sls) using key instruments. Their analysis is conducted based on a sub-sample analysis that emphasizes Latin America Region (LAR), Africa (AFR) and Asia by merging South Asia, East Asia and Pacific Regions (SEAR). These areas are characterized by an unequal society represented by a mounting gini index (Robilliard, 2020; De Rosa et al. 2020). Accordingly, the authors estimated a comparable model to unfold the impact of finance and trade. Besides, the authors exploited the interaction between their predictors with labor productivity and ownership structure to claim the difference between the results using the two data sets. The effort to establish a causal relationship from the combined firm-level data challenges the current literature that leans towards either macro or micro perspectives. Findings: The result obtained from macro-level data shows that while financial development widens income inequality, the impact of trade on income inequality is negative. However, the estimation result from the combined firm-level data portrays that the proportion of investment financed by banks and trade widens income inequality. Given the contrasting result concerning trade, the authors test whether the firm-level evidence is causal following different identification strategies. The exercise shows that the correlation presented in the paper is causal. That challenges the current literature that falls short of providing firm-specific evidence. Social implications: The authors adds to a growing body of literature on finance, trade and income inequality by paying due emphasis on firms from 2006 to 2020. The authors show the private sector development effect on income inequality by linking topics from the firm and country-level data. Originality/value: The authors extend the macro-level discussion and contribute to the existing literature by offering firm-specific evidence on the relationship between finance, trade and income inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to investigate the distribution of femoral tunnel and explore the influences of bone tunnel positions on knee functions. The bone landmark positioning method was used to position the femoral tunnel during the anatomical reconstruction surgery in patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. Methods: Data of patients who underwent anatomical reconstruction of the ACL between January 2015 and July 2018, were retrospectively analyzed. The distribution of the femoral tunnel was recorded on 3-D CT after surgery. The tunnel positions were classified into good and poor position groups based on whether the position was in the normal range (24–37% on the x-axis and 28–43% on the y-axis). The Lysholm and IKDC scores, KT-1000 side-to-side difference, pivot shift test and Lachman test results of the knee joints were recorded, and then the differences in knee joint functions between the two groups were analyzed. Results: 84 eligible patients (84 knees) were finally included in this study. Twenty-two and 62 of the patients were categorized in the good and poor position groups, respectively, and the rate of good position was 26.2%. The distribution of bone tunnel was as follows: (x-axis) deep position in 10 patients (12%), normal position in 58 patients (69%), and shallow position in 16 patients (19%); (y-axis) high position in 54 patients (64%), normal position in 26 patients (31%), and low position in 4 patients (5%). 1 year later, the Lysholm and IKDC scores were significantly better in the good position group (P < 0.05), the KT-1000 side to side difference, the pivot shift test and Lachman test results were better in the good position group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The bone tunnels were found to be distributed in and beyond the normal range using the bone landmark method to position the femoral tunnel in the single-bundle anatomical reconstruction of ACL, while the rate of good bone tunnel position was low. The knee joint function scores and stability were lower in patients with poor position of the femoral tunnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Larynx preservation surgery (LPS) combined with multimodal adjuvant therapy (MAT) is re-emerging as treatment option for hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC). This study aims to explore the survival and functional outcome of this combined approach. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. Selected patients with primary HPC treated by LPS and MAT at two large Beijing medical centers between 2005 and 2019 were included. In addition to LPS, patients received one or more of the following treatments: preoperative induction chemotherapy, postoperative intensity-modulated radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or targeted therapy. Results: In total, 64 patients were included (62 were men, and median age was 57.5 years). The disease in most patients was in stage III (28.1%) or IV (56.3%), or in stage T2 (34.4%) or T3 (45.3%), based on the TNM scale. Across all patients, the rate of overall survival (OS) was 60.7% at 3 yr and 47.3% at 5 yr. OS was significantly higher for patients with stage I or II disease than for those with stage III or IV disease (HR 8.64, 95% CI 3.69–20.2, log-rank P =.010). Decannulation was successful in 55 patients (85.9%), and swallowing function was satisfactory (stage 0–III, on Functional Outcome Swallowing Scale) for 50 (78.1%). Median Voice Handicap Index-10 score on voice performance was 19 (range 4–40), and median Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General Questionnaire score for QoL was 75 (range 16–105). Conclusions: LPS and MAT can provide satisfactory oncologic control and good functional outcomes for selected patients with HPC, especially those with stage I or II disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bifunctional electrocatalysts with superior activity and durability are of great importance for electrocatalytic water splitting. Herein, hierarchical structured CoO/CoP heterojunctions are successfully designed as highly efficient and freestanding bifunctional electrocatalysts toward overall water splitting. The unique microstructure combining two‐dimensional nanosheets with one‐dimensional nanowires enables numerous exposed active sites, shortened ion‐diffusion pathways, and enhanced conductivity, significantly improving performance. Such freestanding electrodes achieve high current density over 400 mA cm−2 at low overpotentials and have exceptional electrocatalytic activity as well as long‐term durability for both hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions under alkaline conditions. Remarkably, a high current density of 20 mA cm−2 is generated at a low cell voltage of 1.56 V in an alkaline water electrolyzer, originating from synergistic interactions between CoO and CoP exposing active sites and facilitating charge transfer and enhancing kinetics. This work provides new insight into designing low‐cost but high‐performance bifunctional electrocatalysts for practical water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore whether melanopsin is associated with the development of myopia. Seventy-two guinea pigs (3 weeks older) were randomly assigned to 6 groups: the form-deprivation myopia (FDM) group (monocularly covering the right eye for 14 days, n = 15), the FDM recovery group (removing the eye mask for 3 days, n = 13), the lens-induced myopia (LIM) group (monocularly wearing a −4D lens for 3 days, n = 15), the LIM recovery group (removing the lens for 2 days, n = 13), and another 2 age-matched normal groups (n = 8 each). The diopter, the vitreous chamber depth (VCD), and the axial length (AXL) were measured to confirm the effect of the treatments. Immunofluorescence and western blotting methods were used to examine the expression of melanopsin in the retina. Immunofluorescent results showed that in the FDM group, the melanopsin intensity in the retina of experimental eyes significantly decreased compared to those of contralateral eyes, but no significant difference was observed during their recovery periods. Western blotting showed that the expression of melanopsin in the experimental eyes of the FDM group was lower than that of the contralateral eyes (fold: 1.00 versus 1.36). The expression of melanopsin in the experimental eyes increased 3 days after removing form deprivation, although a slight reduction in melanopsin expression compared to that of the contralateral eyes (fold: 1.41 versus 1.58). For the LIM group, immunofluorescent showed an obvious decreased intensity of melanopsin-labeled cells in the experimental eyes compared to the contralateral eyes. Western blotting showed that although melanopsin expression in the experimental eyes decreased compared to that of the contralateral eyes (fold: 1.00 versus 1.96), no differences were found between two eyes 2 days after lens removal (fold: 1.99 versus 2.00). The decreased expression of melanopsin in the retina may potentially participate in the development of FDM and LIM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to explore the correlation between T1 and T2 relaxation times of synthetic MRI (SyMRI) and gestational age (GA) in each hemisphere of preterm and term newborns at the initial 28 days of birth. Methods: Seventy preterm and full‐term infants were prospectively included in this study. All subjects completed 3.0 T routine MRI and SyMRI (MAGiC) one‐stop scanning within 28 days of birth (aged 34–42 W at examination). The SyMRI postprocessing software (v8.0.4) was used to measure the T1 and T2 relaxation values of each brain region. The linear regression equations of quantitative relaxation values with GA were established to compare the variation speed in each brain region. Results: A significant linear and negative correlation was found between relaxation times and GA in the neonate cerebral cortex and subcortical gray and white matter regions (All p<.05). The relaxation time of the left centrum semiovale decreased with maximum variance with increasing GA among all white matter regions (T1: b = –51.45, β = –0.65, p <.0001; T2: b = –8.77, β = –0.71, p <.0001), whereas the right posterior limb of internal capsule showed minimal variance (T1: b = –27.94, β = –0.60, p <.0001; T2: b = –3.25, β = –0.68, p <.0001). Among all gray matter regions, the right globus pallidus and thalamus indicated the most significant decreasing degree of T1 and T2 relaxation values with GA (right globus pallidus T1: b = –33.14, β = –0.64, p <.0001; right thalamus T2: b = –3.94, β = –0.81, p <.0001), and the right and left occipital lobes indicated the least significant decreasing degree of T1 and T2 relaxation values with GA, respectively (right occipital lobes T1: b = –11.18, β = –0.26, p =.028; left occipital lobes T2: b = –1.22, β = –0.27, p =.024). Conclusions: SyMRI could quantitatively evaluate the linear changes of T1 and T2 relaxation values with GA in brain gray and white matter of preterm and term neonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The breakdown process of high-voltage pulse discharge under water involves rapid changes in the plasma channel, which are influenced by various factors, such as time, electric field, and thermal field. Accurately measuring the plasma channel is challenging due to technological limitations. This study proposed the theory of equivalence and equivalent numerical simulation for underwater pulsed discharge to understand the breakdown process and the role of the plasma channel in high-voltage pulse discharge under water. It established the equivalence theory and numerical simulation of the discharge breakdown process by considering the delay characteristics of discharge breakdown and the plasma channel model. The plasma channel was described intuitively and quantitatively, providing a concise and effective analysis of the complex breakdown process. Results indicate that (1) the breakdown channel undergoes an initial plasma channel stage accompanied by heating effects, which then transforms into an arc channel, leading to breakdown and detonation. (2) The equivalent resistance of the plasma channel is approximately 10 Ω, and the equivalent radius of the initial channel is around 0.1 μm. Breakdown is difficult to achieve when the electrode spacing is 0.5 cm and the charging voltage Um is below 5.5 kV, with an estimated minimum charging voltage of approximately 6 kV required for breakdown. (3) Equivalence theory enables effective quantification of the equivalent radius and equivalent resistance in the breakdown process, providing a representative measure of breakdown process stability. It proves to be an effective method for monitoring the operation of discharge equipment in practical engineering. The study provides a reliable reference for assessing the breakdown process of underwater high-voltage pulse discharge and monitoring the performance of pulse discharge equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Project-based learning (PBL) has been identified as an effective pedagogy for instructors to help students to learn interdisciplinary knowledge, problem-solving skills, modes of thinking, and collaborative practices through solving problems in a real-world context. However, previous studies reported that instructors from K-12 to tertiary learning environments found it challenging to implement such a pedagogy for various reasons. The emergence of PBL E-learning platforms in the recent decade has attracted increasing interest in adoption and seems to provide a solution to tackle the difficulties in PBL implementation. Yet little is known about designing these platforms and how they facilitate the PBL learning process and management. In the current study, we conducted a multiple case survey study on 16 PBL learning platforms in English and Chinese, collected data on their features and functions, categorized them according to their services provided, and analyzed how they tackle the implementation challenges. Additionally, we identified four trends in PBL development as pedagogy, the skills, and competence required for teachers and students to successfully carry out PBL via e-learning platforms and provide suggestions to improve and refine the platform design for educational technologists and related stakeholders. The limitations of this study and the future research direction are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of financial openness on financial sector development and income inequality. We use the de jure and de facto measures of financial openness across 78 countries from 1980 to 2019. By employing a system generalized method of moments (GMM) with 5‐year averaged data and a novel push and pull modeling framework, we obtain three key results. First, the de jure measure of financial openness exacerbates income inequality and is sensitive to banking crises and conflict intensity. Second, the de facto measure spurs stock value traded in emerging market economies (EMEs) and declines domestic credit in Africa. Third, the interaction between de facto measures with schooling and governance factors affects financial sector development and income inequality. We highlighted that the mere usage of the de jure measure and their interaction is incorrect. The key implication is that valuable information about the real impact of openness can be obtained from the de facto measures and their interaction with favorable macroeconomic fundamentals, governance factors, and adverse nonpolicy factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parity–time (PT) symmetry challenges the long-held theoretical basis that only Hermitian operators correspond to observable phenomena in quantum mechanics. Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians satisfying PT symmetry also have a real-valued energy spectrum. In the field of inductor–capacitor (LC) passive wireless sensors, PT symmetry is mainly used for improving performance in terms of multi-parameter sensing, ultrahigh sensitivity, and longer interrogation distance. For example, the proposal of both higher-order PT symmetry and divergent exceptional points can utilize a more drastic bifurcation process around exceptional points (EPs) to accomplish a significantly higher sensitivity and spectral resolution. However, there are still many controversies regarding the inevitable noise and actual precision of the EP sensors. In this review, we systematically present the research status of PT-symmetric LC sensors in three working areas: exact phase, exceptional point, and broken phase, demonstrating the advantages of non-Hermitian sensing concerning classical LC sensing principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Gram-stain negative, strictly aerobic, and rod-shaped bacterium, designated as strain L182T, was isolated from coastal sediment in Beihai, Guangxi Province, PR China. Colonies of strain L182T were yellow, 2 mm in diameter, round, opaque, smooth and convex after incubation on marine ager at 30 °C for 3 days. Cells were catalase-positive but oxidase-negative. Growth of strain L182T was observed at 4–40 °C (optimum, 25 °C), pH 5.5–10.0 (optimum, pH 5.5–8.0) and with 0–6% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0.5–4.0%). The G + C content based on the genome sequence was 36.0%. The only respiratory quinone was MK-6. The main polar lipids included phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified aminophospholipid, one unidentified glycolipids, four unidentified aminolipids and six unidentified lipids. The major fatty acids (> 10%) were iso-C15:0, iso-C15:1 G and iso-C17:0 3-OH. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between strain L182T and Aestuariibaculum suncheonense SC17T was 98.2%, and the similarities with other type strains of the genus Aestuariibaculum were 96.1–97.2%. The average nucleotide identity and in silicon DNA–DNA hybridization values between the strain L182T and its closely related Aestuariibaculum species were 80.8–85.2% and 22.0–29.5%. According to the above results, Aestuariibaculum lutulentum sp. nov. was proposed as a novel species. The type strain is L182T (= MCCC 1K08065T = KCTC 92530T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context The prevalence of age-related cognitive decline has been on the rise as the global population age, putting the independence and quality of life of elderly at risk. Anthocyanin, as a subclass of dietary flavonoids, may have a beneficial impact on cognitive outcomes. Objectives To examine the effects of dietary anthocyanin supplementation on cognition of the cognitively healthy middle-aged and older adults. Data Sources PubMed, ScienceDirect, CINAHL, EMBASE, ProQuest and Cochrane databases were searched. Data Extraction and Analysis Thirteen studies were included in this meta-analysis. Anthocyanin-rich supplementation was found to significantly improve the processing speed of the older adults (95%CI 0.08, 0.44; P = 0.004). No significant differences were observed between intervention and control groups on memory, attention, executive function and psychomotor performance. Current neuroimaging studies have found promising effects of anthocyanin supplementation on brain activation and cerebral perfusion. Conclusion Anthocyanin-rich supplementation may preserve cognitive processing speed and neuro-activities in older adults, which improves their daily functioning and quality of life. This review provides useful insights to guide direction and methodological designs for future studies to explore the underlying mechanisms of anthocyanins. Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Registration PROSPERO registration No. CRD42021228007. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rational construction of nanosized anode nanomaterials is crucial to enhance the electrochemical performance of lithium-/sodium-ion batteries (LIBs/SIBs). Various anode nanoparticles are created mainly via templating surface confinement, or encapsulation within precursors (such as metal–organic frameworks). Herein, low-content SnO2 nanodots on N-doped reduced graphene oxide (SnO2@N-rGO) were prepared as anode nanomaterials for LIBs and SIBs, via a distinctive lattice confinement of a CoAlSn-layered double hydroxide (CoAlSn-LDH) precursor. The SnO2@N-rGO composite exhibits the advantagous features of low-content (17.9 wt%) and uniform SnO2 nanodots (3.0 ± 0.5 nm) resulting from the lattice confinement of the Co and Al species to the surrounded Sn within the same crystalline layer, and high-content conductive rGO. The SnO2@N-rGO composite delivers a highly reversible capacity of 1146.2 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.1 A g−1 for LIBs, and 387 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.1 A g−1 for SIBs, outperforming N-rGO. Furthermore, the dominant capacitive contribution and the rapid electronic and ionic transfer, as well as small volume variation, all give rise to the enhancement. Precursor-based lattice confinement could thus be an effective strategy for designing and preparing uniform nanodots as anode nanomaterials for electrochemical energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable electronics play important roles in noninvasive, continuous, and personalized monitoring of multiple biosignals generated by the body. To unleash their full potential for the next‐generation human‐centered bio‐integrated electronics, wireless sensing capability is a desirable feature. However, state‐of‐the‐art wireless sensing technologies exploit rigid and bulky electronic modules for power supply, signal generation, and data transmission. This study reports a battery‐free device technology based on a "two‐part" resonance circuit model with modularized, physically separated, and detachable functional units for magnetic coupling and biosensing. The resulting platform combines advantages of electronics and microfluidics with low cost, minimized form factors, and improved performance stability. Demonstration of a detachable sweat patch capable of simultaneous recording of cortisol concentration, pH value, and temperature highlights the potential of the "two‐part" circuit for advanced, transformative biosensing. The resulting wireless sensors provide a new engineering solution to monitoring biosignals through intimate and seamless integration with skin surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-energy, alignment-insensitive, injection-seeded Q-switched Ho:yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) single-frequency laser is developed. Both the slave Q-switched laser and the seed laser are Ho:YAG ring lasers based on a pair of corner cubic reflectors. The seed laser has an available power of 830 mW at 2096.667 nm. At 100 Hz, the Q-switched Ho:YAG laser provides a single-frequency pulsed output using injection-seeded technology. The 7.3 mJ single-frequency pulse energy from the slave laser has a pulse width of 161.2 ns and is scaled to 33.3 mJ after passing through the Ho:YAG single-pass amplifier. According to the measurement results of the heterodyne beating technique, the single-frequency pulse has a half-width of 4.12 MHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury (SCII) is a severe complication driven by apoptosis and neuroinflammation. An increase in the expression of c‐Fos, a member of the AP‐1 family, is known as a neuronal activation marker in SCII. The AP‐1 family is composed of Jun, Fos, and is associated with the regulation of cytokines expression and apoptosis. Fra‐1 is a member of the Fos family, however, the contribution of Fra‐1 to SCII is still unclear. In our study, Fra‐1 was highly upregulated especially in neurons and microglia and promoted apoptosis by changing the expression of Bax/Bcl‐2 after SCII. Furthermore, we found that Fra‐1 directly regulated the transcription expression of S100A8. We demonstrated that knockdown of Fra‐1 alleviated S100A8 mediated neuronal apoptosis and inflammatory factor release, thus improved motor function after SCII. Interestingly, we showed that administration of TAK‐242, the TLR4 inhibitor, to the ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury induced rats suppressed the activation of the ERK and NF‐κB pathways, and further reduced Fra‐1 expression. In conclusion, we found that Fra‐1‐targeted S100A8 was expressed the upstream of Fra‐1, and the Fra‐1/S100A8 interaction formed a feedback loop in the signaling pathways activated by SCII. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different cloud-top heights (CTHs) have different degrees of atmospheric heating, which is an important factor for weather forecasting and aviation safety. AHIs (Advanced Himawari Imagers) on the Himawari-8 satellite are a new generation of visible and infrared imaging spectrometers characterized by a wide observation range and a high temporal resolution. In this paper, a cloud-top height retrieval algorithm based on XGBoost is proposed. The algorithm comprehensively utilizes AHI L1 multi-channel radiance data and calculates the input parameters of the generated model according to the characteristics of the cloud phase, texture, and the local brightness temperature change of the cloud. In addition, the latitude, longitude, solar zenith angle and satellite zenith angle are input into the model to further constrain the influence of the geographical and spatial factors such as the sea and land location, on CTH. Compared with the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) cloud-top height data (CTHCAL), the results show that: the algorithm retrieved the cloud-top height (CTHXGB) with a mean error (ME) of 0.3 km, a standard deviation (Std) of 1.72 km, and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.74 km. Additionally, it improves the problem of the large systematic deviation in the cloud-top height products released by the Japan Meteorological Agency (CTHJMA), especially for ice clouds and multi-layer clouds with ice clouds on the top layer. For water clouds below 2 km and multi-layer clouds with water clouds at the top, the algorithm solves the systematically serious CTHJMA problem. XGBoost can effectively distinguish between different cloud scenarios within the model, which is robust and suitable for CTH retrieval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In various subsurface resource development or fluid piping transportation problems, subsurface fluid-filled fractures often appear. Fracture location determination has always been critical in the related fields. Acoustic wave reflection at the junction and boundary in the pipeline can carry information about the property of the system. By using the accompanying acoustic wave information combined with the water hammer effect, the location of subsurface fractures can be estimated. A numerical fluid flow model for instantaneous shut-in is presented based on the water hammer effect. Fluid penetration effects, wellbore storage effect, and fluid inertial effect are considered. A method for determining the locations of subsurface fractures using cepstral predominant peak (CPP) is first proposed. By cepstral, we mean the inverse Fourier transform of the logarithm of the estimated signal spectrum. Also, the relationship between instantaneous shut-in pressure and cepstrum response is investigated in detail. To improve the robustness, CPP analysis based on Kaiser windowed cepstrum is used to identify the impulse period of fracture. Compared with the original cepstrum, Kaiser windowed cepstrum has the better performance for CPP analysis. The proposed flow model is impactful as it can provide pressure data with known fracture locations. Meanwhile, the data can be used to optimize and examine the performance of CPP analysis with Kaiser windowed cepstrum. A field experiment is conducted to validate the analysis about the acoustic wave in a pipeline system with fractures. By installing a high-frequency pressure monitoring device at the pump, the actual instantaneous shut-in pressure for an oil well is obtained. The experiment results show that the CPP analysis can obtain the fracture location efficiently and accurately, which can provide insights for engineering practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter to the editor discusses a case of chlorfenapyr poisoning due to occupational exposure. The patient experienced symptoms such as increased sweating, restlessness, fever, and difficulty urinating. The patient was treated with a 6-day cycle of hemoperfusion, continuous kidney replacement therapy, and plasma exchange, which led to a gradual improvement in symptoms and eventual discharge. The authors suggest that early initiation of extracorporeal techniques and monitoring toxin concentrations can be beneficial in treating chlorfenapyr poisoning. [Extracted from the article]

In this paper, the fixed-time consensus issue of nonlinear multi-agent systems with general time-varying topologies and stochastically switching topologies is investigated. Firstly, for the case of general time-varying topologies, an appropriate nonlinear control protocol is proposed, the sufficient criterion for fixed-time consensus is derived by utilising the method basing on the scramblingness property of the system's weighted adjacency matrix. Then, based on the derived general theorem, the case of stochastically switching topologies is investigated. We mainly focus on the scenarios of (i) independent and identically distributed switching topologies and (ii) Markovian switching topologies. For both scenarios, it is proved that, if the probability of a scrambling weighted adjacency matrix is nonzero, then the fixed-time consensus can be realised almost surely when the involved control parameters are properly selected. Some simulations are presented at last to verify the obtained theorems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isolated nocturnal hypertension (INH) is a special type of out‐of‐office hypertension. Its determinants and pathophysiology remain unclear. In a nested case‐control study, we intend to investigate the host, environmental, and genetic factors in relation to INH. Among 2030 outpatients screened from December 2008 till June 2015, 128 patients with INH were identified, and then 128 normotensives were matched according to sex and age. INH was an elevated nocturnal blood pressure (BP ≥120/70 mmHg) in the presence of a normal daytime BP (< 135/85 mmHg). Host factors included age, sex, body mass index, smoking and drinking, sleep time and duration, heart rate, serum lipids, and serum creatinine. Environmental cues encompassed season, ambient temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, and wind speed, and genetic cues 29 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 12 clock genes. Daytime and nighttime BPs averaged 124.9/80.7 and 114.5/73.7 mmHg, respectively, in the INH patients and 121.0/76.5 and 101.8/63.3 mmHg in the normotensive controls. Stepwise logistic regression analyses revealed that INH was associated with nighttime heart rate (P =.0018), sleep duration (P =.0499), and relative humidity (P =.0747). The odds ratios (95% CI) for each 10 beats/min faster nighttime heart rate and 10% lower relative humidity were 1.82 (1.25‐2.65) and 0.82 (0.67‐1.00), respectively. Irrespective of the genetic models, no significant association was observed between INH and the SNPs (P ≥.054). In conclusion, INH was associated with host and environmental factors rather than genetic markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Under current standards of treating highly aggressive hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC), oncological control and functional outcome are still unsatisfactory worldwide. This study explored the surgery-oriented comprehensive treatment approach based on 15 years of practice. Methods: A retrospective cohort of HPC patients treated by the senior author at Chinese PLA General Hospital between Nov 2005 and Aug 2012 and Capital Medical University Beijing Friendship Hospital between May 2014 and Nov 2019 was studied. Oncological control, swallowing function, and quality of life (QoL) were assessed. Results: In total, 122 patients were included in this study, with 11 (9.0%) cases in the early stage and 111 (91.0%) cases in the advanced stage. Five-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were 40.0% and 36.1%, respectively. The swallowing outcome was satisfactory in 90 (73.8%) patients. Tracheostomy-free survival was achieved in 55 (45.1%) patients. Multivariate cox regression analysis showed that the size of the surgical defect, local-regional recurrence, and distant metastasis were independent impact factors for OS and DFS (P <.05). Multivariate analysis showed that the logistic regression coefficients (standard error) of pharyngo-cutaneous fistula and local-regional recurrence on swallowing function were 1.274 (.532) and 1.283 (.496), respectively (P <.05). In addition, the logistic regression coefficients (standard error) of the clinical stage, local-regional recurrence, decannulation, and feeding tube on QoL were −7.803 (3.593), −7.699 (3.151), 13.853 (3.494), and −20.243 (3.696), respectively (P <.05). Conclusions: Surgery-oriented comprehensive treatment can give rise to good swallowing function without jeopardizing oncological control. The size of the surgical defect, local-regional recurrence, and distant metastasis were independent factors impacting OS and DFS. Pharyngo-cutaneous fistula and local-regional recurrence were independent factors impacting swallowing function. Clinical stage, local-regional recurrence, decannulation, and feeding tube were independent factors impacting QoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the response of natural gas consumption to temperature on the basis of observations during heating season (middle November–middle March) for the period 2002–2021 in Beijing, China, and then estimates temperature-related changes in the gas consumption under future scenarios by using climate model simulations from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6. Observational evidence suggests that the daily natural gas consumption normalized by gross domestic product is linearly correlated with the daily average temperature during heating season in the past two decades in Beijing. Hence, a linear regression model is built to estimate temperature-related changes in the natural gas consumption under future scenarios. Corresponding to a rising trend in the temperature, the natural gas consumption shows a decrease trend during 2015–2100 under both the SSP245 and the SSP585 scenarios. In particular, the temperature would increase rapidly from early 2040s to the end of 21st century under the SSP585 scenario, leading to an obvious reduction in the natural gas consumption for heating in Beijing. Relative to that in the present day (1995–2014), the natural gas consumption would show a reduction of approximately 9% (±4%) at the end of 21st century (2091–2100) under the SSP245 scenario and approximately 22% (±7%) under the SSP585 scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies a class of variational inequalities with degenerate parabolic operators and symmetric structure, which is an extension of the parabolic equation in a bounded domain. By solving a series of penalty problems, the existence and uniqueness of the solutions in the weak sense are proved by the energy method and a limit process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Logo design is related to the image of a company, unit, product, etc. A good logo can leave a deep impression on people and intuitively understand the content of the product. With the increasing emphasis on intellectual property protection, the design of logos should also pay more attention to the protection of property rights. It can be said that the logo of some big brands is enough to represent the enterprise itself; for example, seeing the red cross as a hospital. This paper aims to propose a logo design process and method under the background of intellectual property big data, so as to make the logo design more procedural and efficient, and to better focus on the protection of property rights. By introducing the relevant knowledge of logo design and trademark registration, it is indicated that trademark search can be used as an auxiliary tool for logo design. Combined with digital media and big data technology, a logo image recognition and classification method is designed so that the trademark registration and screening stage can avoid the infringement design to the greatest extent, so as to put forward the design process and method to improve the innovation ability of logo design. According to the research, the classification accuracy rate of the algorithm proposed in this paper is 91.5%, and the recognition rate of various defects is also above 95%. In addition, in design practice, the stability of design proposals should be monitored through multiple search methods using trademark search tools. If a high similarity is found in the search results, the design direction should be adjusted in time until the final design scheme is determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a passive cooling method without extra energy expenditure, the passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) technology has the potential for wide range of applications. Manufacturing PDRC materials with low-cost and high solar band reflectivity are still facing challenges for their commercialization. In the present study, we used the spectral band complementarity method to realize high reflectivity in the sunlight band and excellent cooling performance of the PDRC coating, with a simple, inexpensive, and scalable preparation process. PDRC coating with a solar reflectance of 97.6% was demonstrated by properly designed BaSO 4 , CaCO 3 , and SiO 2 particles. During the outdoor test, the average daytime temperature of PDRC coating was 8.3 °C lower than the air temperature in the cavity, and 5.5 °C lower than that of commercial white paints. Under the thermal equilibrium condition, the theoretical radiative cooling power of PDRC coating at nighttime and daytime can reach 119.3 W/m2 and 94.3 W/m2, respectively. The assessment results indicate that the PDRC coating has the potential for large-scale commercial production, with a low-cost (approximately $0.5/m2) and simple manufacturing process. This study can provide new ideas for the design and preparation of high-performance low-cost PDRC materials. • PDRC coating with a variety of mixed particles and broad particle size is prepared. • The solar reflectance of the prepared PDRC coating is 97.6%. • The average daytime temperature of PDRC coatings is 8.3 °C than that of cavity. • The prepared PDRC coating has the potential of large-scale commercial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building energy consumption is increasingly becoming a matter of global concern. A key aspect of this is the nature of building cold source systems and their effectiveness. However, choosing the cold source for a building is a complex decision-making process. The traditional evaluation method is relatively simple, and it is difficult to comprehensively consider multiple factors and their mutual influences, and it is even more difficult to increase the consideration of the whole life-cycle cost on this basis. Especially in China, the cost of extra-large public projects invested and constructed by the government plays a significant role in the decision-making process, and it should not be affected by other factors to change the decision-making. Therefore, this paper proposes a new decision-making system, which is based on value engineering (VE) and combined with analytic network process (ANP) to conduct a comprehensive study of project decision-making. Based on existing approaches to construction project evaluation and the selection of cold source systems, we establish an evaluation index for building cold source system functional models and network structures. This approach can take into account the impact of cost on decisions. We then present the results of a simulation-based case study of potential central air-conditioning cold source system solutions for the new Xiang'an New Airport in Xiamen, China. The corresponding value coefficients for conventional electric refrigeration, ice storage, and water storage were found to be 0.8262, 1.0049, and 1.2442, respectively. This suggests that water storage-based cooling offers the best technical and economic benefits for this project. It also confirms that the proposed decision support system can identify the modes with the highest value coefficients, which is one of the most effective methods for selecting a building cold source system scheme. Therefore, the system has the potential to support the effective selection of other building cold source schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rock brittleness is a critical factor affecting the stimulation of shale oil reservoirs. For efficient development of the shale oil in Lucaogou Formation, Jimusar Sag, the brittleness of the sweet spots needs to be evaluated. In this paper, the triaxial compression, acoustic wave measurements, and three-point bending tests were carried out on the reservoir cores. Based on the prepeak energy characteristics of the stress-strain curve, the brittleness of different horizons was calculated, with the largest difference of 24.89%. An improved model based on dynamic elastic properties was proposed to evaluate the brittleness along the vertical pay zones, by which the continuous brittleness in the upper sweet spot was found more changeful than that in the lower sweet spot. The linear correlation coefficient between the brittleness from the improved model and that from the laboratory tests is 0.85, improving the accuracy by 21% and 27% respectively, compared with the conventional elastic property methods. From the characteristics of compression fractures and the length of the fracture process zone, it was found that the compression fractures were more complex and the fracture process zone length was shorter in a more brittle rock, verifying the reliability of the improvement model. The improved method based on dynamic elastic properties proposed in this paper is expected to guide the brittleness evaluation in other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acrylic waterproof coatings have good performance, but their application is limited by their high cost. In addition, few studies explored the waterproofing and impermeability characteristics of these coatings. Based on experimental and theoretical analyses, this study prepared a waterproof coating composed of acrylate polymer emulsion (pure acrylic emulsion) and low-cost styrene--acrylate copolymer emulsion (styrene--acrylic emulsion) to improve the performance, reveal the impermeability mechanism, and decrease the cost. Orthogonal and single-factor tests were carried out to analyze the mechanical, waterproofing, and impermeability properties of the coating. The optimal proportion of the waterproof coating was determined. Results show that combining styrene--acrylic emulsion and pure acrylic emulsion can enhance the performance and reduce the cost of waterproof coatings. In addition, performance improvement is positively correlated with the mesh number of heavy calcium carbonate, and the water pressure of an 800-mesh heavy calcium carbonate coating is increased to 1.4 MPa. In the anti-permeability test, the surface of the coating film bulges under the action of water pressure, and the bulges rupture and water seep occurs under continuous pressure. When the dosage of tributyl phosphate is 0.35%, the water pressures under the coating bulges and water seep are 0.7 and 1.5 MPa, respectively. This study can serve as a basis for the study and impermeability evaluation of acrylic emulsion waterproof coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]