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Multi-drug combinations to treat bacterial populations are at the forefront of approaches for infection control and prevention of antibiotic resistance. Although the evolution of antibiotic resistance has been theoretically studied with mathematical population dynamics models, extensions to spatial dynamics remain rare in the literature, including in particular spatial evolution of multi-drug resistance. In this study, we propose a reaction-diffusion system that describes the multi-drug evolution of bacteria based on a drug-concentration rescaling approach. We show how the resistance to drugs in space, and the consequent adaptation of growth rate, is governed by a Price equation with diffusion, integrating features of drug interactions and collateral resistances or sensitivities to the drugs. We study spatial versions of the model where the distribution of drugs is homogeneous across space, and where the drugs vary environmentally in a piecewise-constant, linear and nonlinear manner. Although in many evolution models, per capita growth rate is a natural surrogate for fitness, in spatially-extended, potentially heterogeneous habitats, fitness is an emergent property that potentially reflects additional complexities, from boundary conditions to the specific spatial variation of growth rates. Applying concepts from perturbation theory and reaction-diffusion equations, we propose an analytical metric for characterization of average mutant fitness in the spatial system based on the principal eigenvalue of our linear problem, λ1. This enables an accurate translation from drug spatial gradients and mutant antibiotic susceptibility traits to the relative advantage of each mutant across the environment. Our approach allows one to predict the precise outcomes of selection among mutants over space, ultimately from comparing their λ1 values, which encode a critical interplay between growth functions, movement traits, habitat size and boundary conditions. Such mathematical understanding opens new avenues for multi-drug therapeutic optimization. Author summary: In this study we develop a framework to model multi-drug resistance evolution in space by combining drug-rescaling arguments with a reaction-diffusion type model. In response to multi-drug environmental gradients, each independent mutant can grow and diffuse following an individual spatially-varying growth function and diffusion rate. Applying concepts from perturbation theory and reaction-diffusion models, we propose an analytical metric to quantify average mutant fitness in the spatial system and to predict the outcome of selection. Our findings highlight that in spatially-extended habitats fitness is an emergent property that potentially integrates many complexities, from boundary conditions to environmental variation, as well as individual growth and diffusion traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photoionization reaction of potassium ferrocyanide has been known for a long time, yet there are few reports on the electronic structure analysis of the charge transfer to solvent (CTTS) state in this reaction. Herein, femtosecond transient absorption spectra of potassium ferrocyanide in the UV-Vis region were studied, and its photoionization under low energy excitation was observed. Using time-dependent density functional theory methods, the absorption spectra of potassium ferrocyanide were calculated in both implicit and explicit solvent models, and the electronic structure of the molecule was discussed in detail. Evidence suggests that a portion of the electron density in the CTTS state of potassium ferrocyanide is located on the empty orbital of the solvent water molecule. The vertical excitation energies calculated by the explicit solvent model are in agreement with the experimental results of the CTTS state. By elucidating the photoionization of potassium ferrocyanide from the molecular electronic structure, our results offer a method for further comprehension of the CTTS state of metal complexes and photochemical reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing anti-cracking measures in the negative bending moment zone of prestressed concrete beam bridges have many disadvantages. The application of Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) provides a new option for the anti-cracking measures in the negative bending moment zone A prefabricated continuous connection structure of UHPC-NC (normal concrete) with a higher reinforcement ratio in the negative bending moment zone was proposed to improve the cracking resistance in the negative bending moment zone. The cracking load calculation method was given based on theoretical analysis under different loading modes of the UHPC-NC structure. The experimental investigations of the scaled models of 1:4 were conducted. The experimental results verified the reliability of the new structures. The thickness of the UHPC layer and the steel reinforcement ratio was considered to calculate the cracking load of the structure by the finite element method. The results show that the relative errors between the proposed method and the FEM are less than 11%. When the bending-shear combination effect is considered, the relative errors between the two methods are less than 10%. The reliability and applicability of the connection structure were verified, which provides a reference for the design and engineering application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the high penetration of wind turbines, many issues need to be addressed in relation to load frequency control (LFC) to ensure the stable operation of power grids. The particle swarm optimization-based model predictive control (PSO-MPC) approach is presented to address this issue in the context of LFC with the participation of wind turbines. The classical MPC model was modified to incorporate the particle swarm optimization algorithm for the power generation model to regulate the system frequency. In addition to addressing the unpredictability of wind turbine generation, the presented PSO-MPC strategy not only addresses the randomness of wind turbine generation, but also reduces the computation burden of traditional MPC. The simulation results validate the effectiveness and feasibility of the PSO-MPC approach as compared with other state-of-the-art strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an experimental study of a novel composite structure used in prefabricated bridges. Corrugated pipes were used to improve the interface bond performance of the structure because of their excellent stiffening effect on the grouting material. Interface bond performance of overlap joints within corrugated pipes was explored by the load-displacement curve and load-strain curves. Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) and high-strength mortar were used as grouting materials. The diameter of steel bars, UHPC, high-strength mortar, strength grades of surrounded concrete, anchorage length, the diameter of the corrugated pipe, and lap length was taken as influential factors. Twenty specimens were designed for the pull-out test by using a larger cover thickness. The failure modes and the influence of different influential factors on the interface bond strength of each specimen were analyzed. The results show that the bond performance between UHPC and reinforcement was better than that of high-strength mortar and normal concrete, which can effectively improve the bond strength and reduce the basic anchorage length of reinforcement besides the design size of prefabricated members. In addition, the differences in anchorage length and lap length between the corrugated pipe grouting reinforcement were compared to the different specifications and prefabricated concrete members. Combined with the test phenomenon and analysis results, it is suggested that the anchorage length and lap length of connecting reinforcement should be reconsidered. Furthermore, the grouting effect under different diameters of corrugated pipe and reinforcement were compared. It is recommended that the corrugated pipe diameter should be four times that of the overlapping grouting reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Whilst statistical knowledge is essential for dental students' academic or professional careers, only a few studies have measured the attitudes of these students towards statistics courses. This study aimed to investigate the attitudes of a cohort of dental students towards a formal statistical course and explore the factors that are potentially related to these attitudes. Methods: A survey was performed amongst dental students of 2017 entry at Fujian Medical University, China. The questionnaire covers three aspects: demographic characteristics, educational background and attitudes towards formal statistics courses. Results: A total of 103 dental students enrolled for the survey, and the response rate was 100.0%. 44.7% of dental students had positive attitudes towards formal statistics courses with an overall average of 25.7 (SD = 2.2, out of 30). Students' computer skills, expectations of course achievement, attention in class and learning atmosphere of the class were significantly associated with the attitudes towards formal statistics courses. Moreover, students with positive attitudes experienced a greater improvement in the statistical cognition and application ability of statistical methods after the course than those with negative/neutral attitudes. Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between students' attitudes and achievement in the examination. Conclusion: These results suggest that attitudes are critical to the learning effectiveness in formal statistics courses amongst undergraduate dental students. All the educators involved should monitor the students' attitudes in the teaching process and make effective interventions to improve students' attitudes towards formal statistics courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wet joint's mechanical performance determines the service performance of the prefabricated bridge deck. UHPC has an excellent application prospect in the 'joint area' of precast assembly bridge. This paper presents an experimental study to analyze the flexural behavior of the UHPC wet joint (with joint width of 15 cm) of the prefabricated bridge deck. Four specimens of prefabricated bridge deck were designed and manufactured, an integral concrete bridge deck (Z–T), used as the reference specimen, and the other three specimens were prefabricated bridge deck models with different joint section forms and steel bar connection modes. Based on the test of the flexural performance of the bridge deck with UHPC in situ cast joint, the influence of the cross-section form of funnel-shaped joint, wedge-shaped joint, U-shaped reinforcement, and arc-shaped reinforcement on the crack development, flexural capacity, and mechanical performance of the joint structure was studied, and compared with the integral concrete slab. The test results show that there was no crack in the UHPC joint, and the interface bond strength between the cast-in-place UHPC and the normal concrete of the prefabricated slab was high. The main crack was located in the normal concrete of the prefabricated slab beside the joint. The flexural capacity of the bridge deck with a width of 15 cm was the same as that of the whole concrete slab. Furthermore, it was found that the difference of ultimate bearing capacity between the joint slab and integral concrete slab was less than 2%, and the failure mode was the same. The wet joint structures proposed in this paper will not reduce the bearing capacity of the bridge deck. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to analyze the influence position of prestressed reinforcement on the cracking load of composite girders, scale test and finite element analysis is used to study the cracking behavior of prestressed composite beam at the negative moment zone. The load–deflection curve and the cracking law of the scaled beam are obtained from the experimental results. The influence law of the resultant point and the spacing change through the symmetrical axis of the prestressed beam on the cracking load is obtained through the finite element parametric analysis. Furthermore, the prototype beam's mechanical performance in terms of the scaled test data is verified by both similarity theory and the prototype beam's numerical model. The results show that: Under different prestress levels, the cracking load is larger when the resultant force point of prestressed reinforcement on one side of the concrete slab's symmetric axis is within 0.15 ~ 0.50 times of slab half-width. In addition, the cracking moment of the specimen can be increased up to 11% by optimizing the prestress arrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of prefabricated abutment with a weak connection is proposed. The longitudinal load (like banking force, earth pressure) distribution of this new type of prefabricated abutment was analyzed based on the hinge-joined slab method. A simplified method for calculating the stiffness parameters of the panels was introduced. The influence lines of the longitudinal load on the prefabricated abutment of an actual bridge were calculated by using the proposed theoretical method and finite element method. The comparison between theoretical calculation and simulation results shows that the theoretical calculation method proposed in this paper is correct. In order to investigate the influence of the different thicknesses of the cap beam and dimensions of prefabricated panels on the calculation error of the theoretical calculation method. The influence lines of the prefabricated abutments with different parameters were calculated theoretically and simulated. All calculation errors of the central values of influence lines were less than 20% when the thickness of the cap beam changes from 0.8 to 2.4 m, the errors were all less than 10% when the thickness of the cap beam was 1.2–1.575 m. This calculation further verified that the theoretical calculation method proposed in this paper is suitable for longitudinal load distribution of a weakly connected Prefabricated bridge abutment. It provides a reference for the design and theoretical calculation of prefabricated abutment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deregulation and decentralization of the energy market have resulted in a proliferation of distributed generation that participates in energy trading as prosumers. In peer-to-peer (P2P) trading of energy within the microgrid (MG), the peers can trade energy without the need for an intermediary. Blockchain technology is devised to assure the security and resilience of the system's P2P trading against adversarial attacks. The large number of renewable prosumers who participate in trading raises the MG system's oscillation frequency. To regulate the system frequency during trading, a distributed-based federated learned fractional-order recurrent neural network (FL-FORNN) adaptive controller is proposed. The control system is a crucial component of MGs in order to ensure stable performance. To aggregate the network weights, the proposed FL-based controller frequently communicates with the cloud server. To avoid the privacy threat during this case, we further propose to integrate FL with local differential privacy (LDP) to secure against the false data injection attack from the eavesdropper. To validate, the MG model is implemented in OPAL-RT with its resilient controller. The P2P trading of energy in the blockchain is executed in Raspberry Pis (RPis) based on the numerous prosumers/consumers participating in the trading. Then, the power information from the tertiary control implemented in RPis is communicated with the MG secondary frequency controller by interfacing using the user datagram protocol. The proposed work is realized for the MG considering four prosumers and three consumers, and the resiliency of the controller is authenticated with case studies. The results divulge that the LDP of the proposed controller can provide a robust and secure solution of MGs with P2P trading, even in the presence of adversarial attacks. • A blockchain-enabled double auction mechanism based P2P energy trading is proposed. • A new frequency control scheme is proposed for P2P trading system. • A contract participation matrix is developed as a supplementary control for frequency regulation. • Privacy mechanism is implemented to protect against false data injection attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study attempts to understand coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine demand and hesitancy by assessing the public's vaccination intention and willingness-to-pay (WTP). Confidence in COVID-19 vaccines produced in China and preference for domestically-made or foreign-made vaccines was also investigated. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional, self-administered online survey was conducted on 1–19 May 2020. The health belief model (HBM) was used as a theoretical framework for understanding COVID-19 vaccination intent and WTP. Results: A total of 3,541 complete responses were received. The majority reported a probably yes intent (54.6%), followed by a definite yes intent (28.7%). The perception that vaccination decreases the chances of getting COVID-19 under the perceived benefit construct (OR = 3.14, 95% CI 2.05–4.83) and not being concerned about the efficacy of new COVID-19 vaccines under the perceived barriers construct (OR = 1.65, 95% CI 1.31–2.09) were found to have the highest significant odds of a definite intention to take the COVID-19 vaccine. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) of WTP for COVID-19 vaccine was CNY¥200/US$28 (IQR CNY¥100–500/USD$14–72). The highest marginal WTP for the vaccine was influenced by socio-economic factors. The majority were confident (48.7%) and completely confident (46.1%) in domestically-made COVID-19 vaccine. 64.2% reported a preference for a domestically-made over foreign-made COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate the utility of HBM constructs in understanding COVID-19 vaccination intent and WTP. It is important to improve health promotion and reduce the barriers to COVID-19 vaccination. Author summary: This study investigated vaccine demand and hesitancy by assessing the intention to vaccinate against COVID-19 and willingness-to-pay. We found that a considerable proportion of the public in China has a definite intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccine; a higher proportion expressed a probable intention. Perceived benefits and barriers to vaccination (namely vaccine efficacy and adverse event concerns) of the health belief model constructs were significant predictors of COVID-19 vaccination intent. A substantial proportion was concerned about fake or faulty COVID-19 vaccines; however, this was not a significant predictor of vaccination intention. The willingness-to-pay for the COVID-19 was determined and was found to be positively associated with income. Higher confidence in domestically-made COVID-19 vaccines was also found in this study. The preference for domestically-made over foreign-made COVID-19 vaccines indicates that a future COVID-19 vaccine developed by domestic companies will receive a favourable response from the public in China.The findings of this study provide useful guidance for tailored interventions to enhance the acceptance of a new COVID-19 vaccine once it is available. Promotional messages framing the benefit of vaccination and concerns about new vaccine safety to enhance vaccine uptake is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the distributed load frequency control (DLFC) scheme, the compromised areas by attackers may endanger the stable and reliable operation of the entire power system. A credibility‐based secure DLFC strategy is in this work proposed to sustain the stable operation of the power system under false data injection attacks. In this secure DLFC method, the gradient‐variation‐based credibility metrics are defined to detect potential attacked measurements. Then, the communication isolation decisions are made based on the adaptive thresholds. To compensate the impact of the communication isolation of misbehaving areas, predictions of future measurements by using the average gradient variation of stored healthy data are feeded back to the area controller. Simulation results of a four‐area power system show the proposed secure DLFC can identify and cut off the communication of the misbehaving areas and still maintain the stability of the power system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a new distributed filtering approach is proposed for the load frequency control of uncertain non‐linear power systems with cyber‐physical attacks. Specifically, the non‐linear power system is firstly modelled under interval type‐2 Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy framework and the uncertainty therein is captured by designing corresponding membership functions. Both denial of service cyber attack and physical sensor attack are considered and modelled as independent Bernoulli process. Based on the Lyapunov stability theory, less conservative sufficient conditions have been derived to guarantee the robustly mean‐square asymptotic stability with an average H∞ performance standard γ for the dynamic filtering error system. Moreover, artful matrix transformation techniques have been adopted to decouple the intertwined matrix variables in designing the distributed filter gains. In simulations, a three‐area non‐linear power system with internal uncertainties is used to validate the robustness of the proposed distributed filtering strategy to system parametric uncertainties and cyber‐physical attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An emerging definition of supercapacitors is proposed to emulate the dynamic inertia response. • A theoretical analysis of dynamic stability on two-area PV microgrid clusters is presented. • The dynamic inertia constant of supercapacitors is analyzed. • The adjustable virtual inertia control method of supercapacitors is proposed to improve the dynamic inertia response. This paper investigates a novel control strategy of supercapacitors to improve the dynamic stability of the interconnected PV-based AC microgrid clusters in standalone operation. An emerging definition of supercapacitors is proposed to emulate the dynamic inertia response. This definition establishes the dynamic connections between the state-of-charge (SOC), the frequency of the standalone AC microgrid clusters and the power of supercapacitors. Then this paper presents a theoretical analysis of dynamic stability on two-area PV microgrid clusters. According to the type of AC microgrid, the dynamic inertia constant is also analyzed. Based on the dynamic stability analysis of two-area PV microgrid clusters and the dynamic inertia constant analysis of supercapacitors, the adjustable virtual inertia control method of supercapacitors is proposed to extract the stored energy for the dynamic inertia response. The aim of the proposed control scheme is to solve the low inertia and weak damping of the standalone interconnected PV microgrid clusters. The effectiveness of the proposed control scheme is validated by Matlab/Simulink platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of UHPC‐NC (normal concrete) structure in the negative moment zone was proposed to improve the bearing capacity of the connection structure in the negative moment zone of prefabricated prestressed concrete (PC) beam bridges. First, the distribution characteristics of the crack, cracking load, ultimate moment, and ductility coefficient of the new structure were obtained by the 1:4 scale model tests. The feasibility of the connection structure is verified. Then, the value ranges of critical structural parameters affecting the bearing capacity of the connection structure based on the plane section assumption analysis, including the reasonable thickness of the UHPC layer, the reinforcement ratio of the longitudinal tensile reinforcement, and the diameter of the reinforcement, are obtained. At the same time, based on the verification of the finite element model, the influence of crucial research parameters on the bending capacity of the connection structure is obtained by using the finite element method. Finally, a theoretical method for the bending moment capacity of the connection structure of the UHPC‐NC structure is proposed, considering the high ductility characteristics of UHPC materials. The average relative error between the calculation results and the finite element method is within 7.2%, which verifies the reliability of the calculation method in this paper and provides a reference for its design and engineering application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their variable stiffness characteristics, magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) can be applied for seismic isolators in civil infrastructure systems. The lateral stiffness variation of MRE isolators is affected by the change of MRE shear stiffness. The natural frequency of the MRE-based isolation systems is related to the lateral stiffness of the MRE isolators with the range of lateral stiffness variation of MRE isolators serving as a critical objective to determine the shift ability of natural frequencies of the isolation systems. Here we develop a multiscale computational method to determine the magneto-mechanical coupling of MRE isolators. The field-dependent stiffness variation of the isolators is achieved with the consideration of combined magnetic field and deformation. Effects of MRE microstructural feature (e.g., particle concentrations in chains and between chains) and macroscopic geometry (e.g., thicknesses of MRE laminate and steel) on the magneto-mechanical responses of the isolators are specifically investigated, so as to guide the design of MRE-based isolating structures. The magnetic field and lateral stiffness of several MRE-based isolator prototypes from experiments are obtained by finite element-based shear simulation. Simulation results are quantitatively compared with experimental data, verifying and validating the accuracy and applicability of the proposed method. [Display omitted] • A multiscale magneto-mechanical coupling model is developed under large deformation. • Field-dependent responses of smart isolators are achieved with consideration of combined magnetic field and deformation. • Effects of MRE micro-/macro-structural features on the magneto-mechanical responses of isolators are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many measurement cases of ground impedance of substation, the inductive coupling between the measuring lead wires is inevitable, which will greatly increase the measurement errors. There is no effective method to solve this problem till now. A new method to accurately measure the ground impedance in strong inductive coupling conditions is proposed. The proposed method can measure the ground impedance and the mutual impedance between the measuring lead wires by solving a set of equations composed by the measured voltages and currents. A measuring instrument based on industrial computer is developed. Digital simulation experiments are carried out on real-time digital simulator (RTDS). A field measurement case of 500-kV Yanshan substation is given. Both the RTDS simulation and the field measurement validate that the proposed method and the developed measuring instrument can measure the ground impedance and the mutual impedance precisely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Above-deck car-bomb attacks cause significant effects on engineering structures from those of explosive blasts in the free air. In this paper, a post-disaster investigation for an existing bridge under above-deck car-bomb blast loading is presented. The crack distribution and damage deformation of the blast loaded girders are systematically investigated, and the blast effect zone is proposed to describe the blast loading distributions on girders and to characterize the girder structural behavior. The girder failure is dominated by one of the three typical damage mechanisms: shear, flexural-shear, and flexural, depending on the blast effect zone where the girder is located. The study also indicates that the isolation effect of the vehicle can significantly affect the blast loading distribution on structures, even though the isolation effect is localized in a region with a small standoff distance. It is gradually attenuated by the increase of the standoff distance. Numerical analysis is conducted to verify the findings by simulating the truck isolation effect with a steel plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel multi-objective model of active distribution network planning based on stochastic programming and uncertain random network (URN) theory. The planning model is proposed to find the final scheme with optimal alternative, location, size and operational strategy for the candidate distribution lines, transformer substations (TSs), distribution generations (DGs), static var compensators (SVCs) and on-load tap changers (OLTCs). Firstly, a scenario-based approach is developed to analyse the uncertainties in network system, such as the demand and intermittency of renewable sources. Since the impact of multiple uncertain factors on network cannot be ignored, a network frame is then modelled by uncertain and random weights of spanning tree (ST) instead of fixed value. In order to achieve the minimization of total cost, and further the selection of a minimum spanning tree (MST) with the uncertain and random weight, a 3-dimensional uncertain space is constructed based on the combination of the previous two targets. In addition, a second-order cone programming (SOCP) is applied to cope with the multi-objective, mixed-integer nonlinear nature of the proposed planning model. Simulation is performed on a modified Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) 69-bus distribution system, and the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Heterostructures from two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides MX 2 have emerged as a hot topic in recent years due to their various fascinating properties. Here, we investigated the temperature dependent Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectra in vertical stacked WS 2 /MoS 2 monolayer heterostructures. Our result shows that both E1 2g and A 1g modes of WS 2 and MoS 2 vary linearly with temperature increasing from 300 to 642 K. The PL measurement also reveals strong temperature dependencies of the PL intensity and peak position. The activation energy of the thermal quenching of the PL emission has been found to be equal to 69.6 meV. The temperature dependence of the peak energy well follows the band-gap shrinkage of bulk semiconductor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional measurement methods of capacitance parameters of coupled transmission lines bring large measurement errors under a strong electromagnetic-interference environment. To solve this problem, new anti-interference measurement methods based on harmonic components are proposed. First, the voltages and currents at the head end and the tail end of the transmission line are sampled synchronously based on global positioning system (GPS) technology, then they acquire the third harmonic components from the measured data with an interpolation fast Fourier transform algorithm, and substitute them to the calculation formulae, so that the power frequency interference signals are filtered as noise and the capacitance parameters can be accurately measured. The wiring diagram of line parameter measurement and the hardware structure of the measuring system based on GPS are given. The simulation results with PSCAD and an example of measuring two 200-kV coupled transmission lines are given. The comparison of measurement results between the proposed methods and the traditional methods is also shown. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of this meta-analysis is to assess the associations between two most widely investigated polymorphisms (rs3746544 and rs1051312) in the 3′UTR of the SNAP-25 gene and susceptibility of ADHD. Two investigators selected related studies and assessed methodological quality independently. Six studies were included in this meta-analysis for a total of 715 cases and 655 controls. There is no apparent association between rs3746544 polymorphisms and risk of ADHD. However, subgroup analysis based on ethnicity demonstrated a strong association between rs3746544 polymorphism and ADHD in the subset of Asian participants, but not among Caucasians. Compared to the T allele, the allele G was associated with a significantly decreased risk of developing ADHD in the Asian population (odds ratio (OR) = 0.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.52–0.95, p = 0.02). The association between the TT genotype and ADHD risk was also significantly increased as compared to G/T (OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.00–2.44, p = 0.05) and the dominant genetic model (GG + GT vs. TT: OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.07–2.13, p = 0.02). For the rs1051312 SNP, being homozygous for the minor allele (C/C) was associated with a 3.66 higher odds of ADHD as compared to cases homozygous for the major allele (T/T) (95% CI = 1.64–8.13, p = 0.001), and 3.57 higher odds as compared to heterozygous (C/T) carriers (95% CI = 2.01–12.90, p < 0.001). Our results suggest that the polymorphisms rs3746544 and rs1051312 may increase the odds of developing ADHD. Additional studies are needed to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on transmission-line equations and the distributed parameter model, a new approach is proposed to accurately measure the zero-sequence parameters of long-distance double-circuit transmission lines using voltages and currents measured at the ends of lines. The mathematical model of the proposed method is explained in detail, and the differential equations of two coupled lines with different self parameters were solved for the first time with Laplace transform to obtain all of the zero-sequence parameters. And this approach is easy to implement since the measurement process is simple. PSCAD simulation experimental results of double-circuit 500 kV transmission lines with line lengths changing from 200 to 1000 km and a comparison of the measurement results between the proposed method and the traditional method are shown. Simulation experiments validate that whether the two lines are short or long, the new approach has high accuracy even if there is system white noise and interference from other coupled lines. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a new formulation for the dynamic economic emission dispatch (DEED) based on robust optimizaiton (RO) and bi-level programming (BLP) in the background of large-scale wind power connected into power grid. RO is adopted to model the uncertainty of wind power output which varies within a bounded interval obtained by prediction. Considering that the feasible region of the optimization problem is likely to be empty due to the high uncertainty of wind power output, a slack varible - the reduction of the upper bound of the predicted wind power output interval - is introduced into the model to guarantee the security of the power system. To reflect the premise that the renewable energy should be fully utilized, the proposed model presents a BLP framework, in which the leader level pursuits the minimal fuel cost and emission simultaneously, and the follower level seeks for the minimal interval reduction of wind power output. A solution methodology in a nested framework based on the improved teaching-learning-based optimization (TLBO) algorithm and linear programming (LP) is proposed to solve the nonlinear BLP problem. In addition, a constraint handling technique is introduced to enforce the feasiblity of solutions. The proposed model and the solution methodology are applied to three cases with different ratios of wind power to evaluate their efficiency and feasibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper conducts a combined experimental and numerical study of the effectiveness of the incremental launching method for the construction and erection of continuous hybrid arch-girder bridges. To verify construction safety for these bridges, the investigation focuses on the stress and deformation levels of the launched structures during the launching process. The stress fluctuation of structural members is analyzed at critical launching stages under the mechanical and wind loads. It is shown that the temporary connectors between steel arches and longitudinal girders are critical to the structures during the launching process, and that the front connector of the first launched span needs specific attention to avoid fatigue and buckling issues. It is further demonstrated that the wind load has a significant effect on both stress and deformation, especially during the critical launching stages. Stiffening the key components is recommended to ensure the safety of bridge structures during the erection process under severe weather and wind conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical properties of magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) are essential for their engineering applications. While the magneto-elastic responses of MREs under large deformation are obtained with experimental methods, microstructure-based modeling and simulation can indicate the physical mechanisms that further provide guidelines for engineering design. We herein propose a computational micromechanics-based multiphysics coupling model to reveal the overall magneto-hyperelastic properties of MREs. Interactions among ferromagnetic particles in MREs are defined in terms of magnetic body forces. The coupled magnetic and mechanical fields are solved in the three-dimensional representative volume elements with chained microstructures under large deformation. The macroscopic stresses are obtained by the computational homogenization procedures with consideration of the microscopically coupled fields of stresses and magnetic body forces. Effects of demagnetizing field and microstructures on the overall magnetic stresses are particularly emphasized. The mechanical properties obtained from several groups of experiments are quantitatively predicted and interpreted which further verifies the applicability and correctness of the proposed method. Magnetic body forces of ferromagnetic particles with microstructures at different strains and center-to-center spacing of particles in the chain. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aspect ratio (AR) is one of the most intriguing parameters of gold nanorods (GNRs), which plays an important role in determining localized surface plasmon (LSPR) properties. Instead of conventional imaging techniques, the optical extinction spectroscopy (OES) method has been developed for allowing fast statistically measuring the average AR under static approximation. In this work, combining with the previous achievements in spectroscopic technique, we further analyze the effects of gold dielectric function and near distance dielectric sensitivity. The former may reflect possible dielectric loss of real Au samples from ideal single crystalline. The latter reflects the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) adsorption on the surface of GNR induces different LSPR shifts below and above critical micelle concentration (CMC). However, their effect on the determination of AR has not been evaluated in OES method. The average AR measurements as a function of absorbance of CTAB-GNRs and LSPR maximum below the CMC were studied. Our results indicate that after considering these factors, the mean ARs obtained from spectroscopic techniques are closer to those obtained from imaging techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A large number of PEVs are participated in the distributed load frequency control. • A credibility based distributed frequency estimation scheme is presented to detect and isolate compromised PEVs. • A resilient distributed load frequency regulation is developed after the comprised PEVs are identified. The accurate, robust and economic acquisition of frequency signals of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) is a vital prerequisite to regulate the frequency of power systems with the participation of a large number of PEVs. While the communication links among PEVs are vulnerable to cyber attacks, we propose a credibility-based distributed frequency estimation scheme to detect and isolate compromised PEVs participating in the frequency regulation. In this scheme, each PEV can distinguish its neighbors' misbehavior based on the distributed frequency estimation and/or frequency measurements taken only at distribution substations. Then, a distributed load frequency control (DLFC) strategy is designed to integrate the credibility-based resilient distributed frequency estimation scheme. Tests under a variety of communication topologies are conducted to verify the proposed credibility-based distributed frequency estimation scheme. Simulation results of a four-area power system validate the proposed DLFC strategy after detecting and isolating the compromised PEVs can regulate the frequency quickly when suffering load variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the interface bond strength and anchorage performance of steel bars within prefabricated concrete. Twenty-two specimens were designed and manufactured to study the interface bond behavior of deformed and plain steel bars under a larger cover thickness. Diameter of steel bars, strength grade of concrete, and anchorage length were considered influential factors. The finite element method (ABAQUS) was used for the validation of experimental results. The interface bond's failure mechanism and the anchorage length in the prefabricated concrete under different concrete strength levels were explored and compared to national and international codes. A suitable value of the basic anchoring length for the prefabricated structure was recommended. The results show that the interface bond strength of prefabricated bridge members is directly proportional to the strength grade of the concrete, inversely proportional to the reinforcement diameter, and less related to anchorage length. The effect of the cover thickness of the surrounding concrete is negligible. Conversely, the bearing capacity of prefabricated bridge members depends on the strength of the concrete, the diameter of the steel bar, and the anchorage length. Furthermore, it is concluded that the mechanical bond strength accounts for 88% of the bond strength within prefabricated concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus diseases (COVID-19) outbreak, has been locked down on January 23, 2020. We conducted a study among the lay public in Wuhan to access their support, understanding of, compliance with, and the psychological impacts of the quarantine.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, online-based survey study between January 28, 2020, and February 2, 2020 among the adult lay public in Wuhan to access their support, understanding of, compliance with, and the psychological impacts of the quarantine. Multivariable logistic analysis was used to identify factors associated with psychological impacts.Results: Among the 4100 participants investigated, a total of 15.9% were compliant with all the five household prevention measures, whereas 74.4% were compliant with all the three community prevention measures investigated. By demographics, participants of younger age, higher income, residing in an urban area, knowing neighbors infected with COVID-19 reported significantly higher psychological impact score. Participants with a lower level of support for quarantine were more likely to have a higher psychological impact score (OR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.07-1.96). Participants with a lower level of compliance with preventive measures (score of 0-19) reported higher psychological impact (OR = 1.40, 95% CI 1.22-1.60 vs. score 20-24). Participants who had been out of house socializing and attended public events expressed higher psychological impact.Conclusions: Support, understanding of the rationale for quarantine are essential in ensuring appropriate psychological well-being during the quarantine. Improvements in compliance with preventive measures are highly warranted and may bring about a reduction in psychological distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the predictive value of PD-1 expression in T lymphocytes for rehospitalization due to acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) in discharged patients. Methods: 115 participants hospitalized with COPD (average age 71.8 ± 6.0 years) were recruited at Fujian Provincial Hospital. PD1+T lymphocytes proportions (PD1+T%), baseline demographics and clinical data were recorded at hospital discharge. AECOPD re-admission were collected at 1-year follow-up. Kaplan-Meier analysis compared the time to AECOPD readmissions among groups stratified by PD1+T%. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression and stratified analysis determined the correlation between PD1+T%, potential confounders, and AECOPD re-admission. ROC and DCA evaluated PD1+T% in enhancing the clinical predictive values of Cox models, BODE and CODEX. Results: 68 participants (59.1%) were AECOPD readmitted, those with AECOPD readmission exhibited significantly elevated baseline PD-1+CD4+T/CD4+T% and PD-1+CD8 + T/CD8 + T% compared to non-readmitted counterparts. PD1+ T lymphocyte levels statistically correlated with BODE and CODEX indices. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that those in Higher PD1+ T lymphocyte proportions had reduced time to AECOPD readmission (logRank p < 0.05). Cox analysis identified high PD1+CD4+T and PD1+CD8+T ratios as risk factors of AECOPD readmission, with hazard ratios of 1.384(95%CI [1.043–1.725]) and 1.401(95%CI [1.013–1.789]), respectively. Notably, in patients aged < 70 years and with fewer than twice AECOPD episodes in the previous year, high PD1+T lymphocyte counts significantly increased risk for AECOPD readmission(p < 0.05). The AECOPD readmission predictive model, incorporating PD1+T% exhibited superior discrimination to the Cox model, BODE index and CODEX index, AUC of ROC were 0.763(95%CI [0.633–0.893]) and 0.734(95%CI [0.570–0.899]) (DeLong's test p < 0.05).The DCA illustrates that integrating PD1+T% into models significantly enhances the utility in aiding clinical decision-making. Conclusion: Evaluation of PD1+ lymphocyte proportions offer a novel perspective for identifying high-risk COPD patients, potentially providing insights for COPD management. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR, URL: www.chictr.org.cn/), Registration number: ChiCTR2200055611 Date of Registration: 2022-01-14. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel structure of the smart multi-energy system is proposed. • Transportation, natural gas, and active distribution networks are jointly considered. • Integrated energy stations are served to achieve the synergies of various energies. • A mixed user equilibrium is developed to obtain both routing and charging guidance. As the energy demand for multiple purposes increases, smart multi-energy systems have become the trend in the development of cities. In such an intelligent environment, it is possible and imperative to consider the traffic flow guidance for electric and non-electric vehicles in the urban transportation network. However, this has not yet been considered in the challenges of planning multi-energy systems. Based on these considerations, a novel optimal planning framework is proposed in the present study, that takes into account the coupling of transportation, natural gas and active distribution networks. Firstly, a novel structure of integrated energy stations is proposed, which serves as coupling components where various sources of energy can be converted, distributed, and stored. The model optimizes the investment and operational strategies of renewable energy generation, energy converters, storage devices and charging facilities in a coordinated way. To capture the impact of traffic flow, a mixed user equilibrium state was established. Thus, the route selections for non-electric vehicles and the navigations of electric vehicles to charging facilities could both be incorporated into the model. Since the proposed planning model is a mixed-integer nonlinear program problem, convex relaxation was conducted to transform the model formulations into a mixed-integer second order cone program version. Finally, four cases were designed and tested in a practical urban area. The quantitative comparison revealed that unguided traffic flow will increase the traffic costs by more than 23%. Moreover, when both charging and routing guidance are considered the energy losses will decrease by at least 5.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A two-stage robust planning model for the coupled system is proposed. • The uncertainty of renewable energy, load and traffic demand are jointly considered. • The interactions between transportation and active distribution system are explored. • A two-level method is used to solve the proposed robust optimization model. Widespread utilization of electric vehicles has incurred more uncertainties and led to profound interdependencies across the power grid and transportation network. This creates an urgent demand for uncertainty modelling tools. Under this context, this paper proposes a two-stage robust optimization model for expansion planning of coupled active distribution and transportation. This model identifies the best type, location and capacity for roads, distribution lines, distributed generations, static VAR compensators, on-load tap changers, energy storage systems and charging facilities. From a system-level perspective, the steady-state pattern of the traffic flow in a transportation network is characterized by the Wardrop user equilibrium. In the active distribution system, the conic relaxation-based branch flow equations are employed, and the operating status of related devices are formulated by the linearized convex constraints. Considering the interdependency between two coupled systems, a deterministic expansion planning model is first established. Furthermore, with multiple uncertainties considered, a two-stage robust optimization model is proposed to optimize the investment and operation strategies coordinately, and thus a robust optimal solution is achieved. A two-level algorithm based on a combination of the column-and-constraint generation and outer approximation technique is developed for solving the two-stage model. The results demonstrate that the robust approach can effectively reduce the operation cost of coupled systems under the worst-case scenarios. Moreover, a comparative analysis indicates that operation costs in both systems increase linearly as the uncertainty level of traffic demand increases, while increasing that of the power load does not show an obvious change in the traffic operation cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel expansion planning model for active distribution system with multiple active network managements is proposed. • Optimal load shedding is originally proposed and shows an obvious better stability performance in case study. • A SOCP approach and some linearization means are applied to solve the MINLP model. • A two-stage optimization algorithm is developed and proved to have great ability to solve this problem. • Simulation results based on a modified 37-bus system indicate the technical and economic superiority of the proposed model. In this paper, a new expansion planning model for an active distribution system considering multiple active network management schemes is proposed, where demand management considering the optimal load-shedding direction is innovatively introduced into the planning model. This model optimizes the investment decisions of all the infrastructures as well as the corresponding operational strategies in a coordinated manner. Therefore, the final solution is identified by the optimal type, location and size of the feeders, distributed generators, capacitor banks, static var compensators, voltage regulators, energy storage systems, and transformer substations. To incorporate the optimal load reduction into active network management, the optimal load-shedding direction is first introduced, and an iterative method is developed to compute it. On this basis, the coordination planning model of an active distribution system is established, and the operational strategy of all the active management devices is integrated into the expansion planning problem of an active distribution system. By applying the second-order cone relaxation method, the original mixed-integer nonlinear model is converted into a mixed-integer second-order cone programming model that be efficiently solved. Finally, a two-stage optimization algorithm is proposed to obtain the final solutions. Simulation results based on a 37-bus system and a 122-bus system corroborate the effectiveness of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A planning model of coupled transportation and active distribution system is proposed. • Scenario generation technique is extended to incorporate traffic demand. • Scenario-based user equilibrium constraint is derived and embedded into the model. • A three dimensional piecewise method is designed to relax the bivariate expressions. • The importance of considering interdependencies of the coupled system is verified. The widespread utilization of electric vehicles has inspired the emerging trend of coupled transportation and distribution system, which entails the systematic methodologies to model the new planning problems. This paper proposes a scenario-based comprehensive expansion planning model for a coupled transportation and active distribution system. With the aim of minimizing the investment and operation costs, this model determines the best alternatives, locations and sizes for candidate assets, including traffic roads, distribution lines, distribution generators, capacitor banks, static var compensators, voltage regulators, energy storage systems and charging facilities, as well as their operation strategies. First, a generated scenario method is extended to incorporate the uncertainty of the traffic flow demand. Based on multiple scenarios, the steady-state distribution of traffic flow is characterized by the Wardrop user equilibrium principle, and the corresponding equivalent constraints are derived and incorporated into the model. For active distribution system, we formulate the operation constraints for related infrastructures. Considering the interdependency between the two systems, an expansion planning model is proposed, which simultaneously optimizes the investment and operation strategies. Due to the nonlinear nature of the model, we have developed a three-dimensional piecewise linear approximation and applied second order cone relaxation to reformulate the model as a mixed-integer second order conic program; thus, the global optimal solution can be found in a reasonable time frame. Results on a test system reveal that the variations of both systems have some influences on each other, indicating the significance of considering the interdependencies between transportation and active distribution system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Planning for multi-energy system integrating active distribution network is modeled. • A probabilistic scenario generation method is proposed considering the robustness. • A modified piecewise linearization method is developed. • Mixed integer second order cone programming is employed to solve the model. As an effective pattern to promote efficient use of energy, multi-energy system has become the main focus of development. On the other hand, active distribution network is now also the promoting concept for developing power distribution system, since the active network management technologies can make the network more flexible and controllable. To facilitate and utilize the advantages of both systems, this paper proposes an expansion planning model for multi-energy system integrating active distribution network, natural gas network and energy hub; and the positive impact of active network managements on expanding multi-energy system is originally investigated. With the aim of minimizing the total cost over the planning horizon, this model centers on the optimal determination of the type, location and size of all the infrastructures, where the active network managements are modeled and incorporated. In addition, in order to improve the robustness of the planning results, a probabilistic scenario generation approach is proposed to test the model. In order to solve the proposed mixed-integer nonlinear model, the second order cone programming as well as a modified piecewise linearization approach is applied to convert the original model to a mixed integer second order cone programming model. A multi-energy system (including a modified IEEE 33-node distribution system, a new 23-node gas system and 8 energy hubs) are employed to verify the effectiveness of the prosed model and methods. The simulation results exhibit the superiority of the joint expansion planning model for multi-energy system and the beneficial impact of considering active network management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Push-out tests on PBH are conducted. • Shear-friction theory is employed. • A simplified formula for PBH bearing capacity is proposed. • The slip value for service and ultimate design are proposed. Perfobond hoop (PBH) is a type of shear connector specifically promoted from perforated steel plate connectors (PBL) with relatively higher bearing capacity and ductility. However, there is limited information on the effect of the parameters on PBH's bearing capacity and slip, such as concrete compressive strength, opening diameter on perfobond plate and hoop diameter. To investigate the mechanical behavior of PBH, push-out tests were conducted under static loading. Corresponding failure modes, bearing capacity and load-slip relationship were obtained. In this paper, the shear-friction theory and the method of multivariate linear regression analysis are employed to analyze the experimental results and a simplified formula for PBH bearing capacity is proposed based on the test results of eighteen specimens. By fitting the normalized results of specimens, an empirical equation for the load-slip relationship of PBH within the whole loading process is obtained, which is in an exponential form. The proposed formulae are both validated with the verification results and can provide good references for the design and applications of PBH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although Zika virus infection is rarely reported now, continuous prevention is needed to achieve sustained eradication. This study aimed to explore the knowledge gaps, risk perception and preventive measures against Zika virus infection (ZIKV) in pregnant women in Malaysia. Methods: We conducted in-depth virtual interviews with pregnant women between February and April 2022. The interviews were recorded and transcribed, and data were analyzed by content analysis. Results: The majority of the participants demonstrated a commendable level of awareness regarding the signs and symptoms associated with ZIKV infection. They also exhibited a clear understanding of preventive measures, particularly emphasizing the importance of avoiding mosquito bites to minimize the risk of ZIKV transmission. However, a noteworthy gap in knowledge surfaced as a subset of participants remained uninformed about the potential for sexual transmission of ZIKV, which could lead to congenital ZIKV in pregnant women. Even among women who were cognizant of ZIKV and its potential negative health outcomes, associated with the infection, many of them did not perceive themselves to be at risk, mainly because ZIKV infection is infrequently discussed or heard of, leading to a sense of infections' rarity. While the adoption of preventive measures such as mosquito bite prevention during pregnancy was a common practice, however, prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika is low. A minority of women express concerns about the sensitivity surrounding discussions and prevention of STIs within the context of marriage. Most of the participants were supportive of the provision of awareness of ZIKV infection in women during pregnancy and the involvement of men, especially in initiatives aimed at preventing transmission through sexual contact. Conclusion: This study uncovered gaps in both knowledge and practices pertaining ZIKV infection among pregnant women in the aftermath of the ZIKV pandemic. The insights gleaned from our research are valuable for shaping future interventions geared towards preventing the resurgence or facilitating the sustainable eradication of ZIKV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Regular follow-up and medication can effectively reduce the risk of adverse outcomes for patients with hypertension. This study aimed to explore the temporal-spatial distribution characteristics and associated socioeconomic factors of visiting frequency for rural patients with hypertension in Fujian province from 2011 to 2016. Methods: The medical records of patients with hypertension were abstracted from the database of New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme. Geographically and temporally weighted regression model was used to analyze the associations between percentage of patients whose visiting frequency ≥ 4 times within a year and seven socioeconomic factors at the county level. Results: The visiting rate of rural patients with hypertension was 0.79%, 1.27%, 1.87%, 2.29%, 2.78%, 3.43% over the six-year study period, respectively. The percentage of patients whose visiting frequency ≥ 4 times within a year gradually increased over time and the percentage ranged from 61 to 80% in a half of the counties by 2016. In general, there was positive association between Gross Domestic Product per capita and the percentage of patients whose visiting frequency ≥ 4 times within a year. The percentage of female patients, percentage of patients who aged ≥ 60 years, percentage of low-income patients, carbon emission intensity, percentage of savings and number of health technicians per 10,000 persons were negatively correlated with the percentage of patients whose visiting frequency ≥ 4 times within a year in most of counties of Fujian Province. In the sensitivity analysis, the percentage of outpatients whose visiting frequency ≥ 4 times within a year was higher than that of all patients. There was positive association between percentage of outpatients who aged ≥ 60 years and the percentage of outpatients whose visiting frequency ≥ 4 times. Conclusions: The visiting rate and the visiting frequency within a year for rural patients with hypertension in Fujian province need to be improved. Female and elderly patients should be the focus of health management. Effectively implementing the family doctor services, providing several kinds of free antihypertensive drugs, improving energy utilization efficiency and reasonably allocating the health resources may be the effective strategies to improve the follow-up compliance of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With great advances in wet chemical synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs), plasmonic NPs with various sizes and morphologies are easily available nowadays and demonstrate great potentials in optical, electronic, and biomedical applications. Plasmonic circular dichroism (CD), relating to circular dichroism responses at localized surface plasmon resonance of metal nanostructures, has emerged as a research direction of plasmonics with promising prospects in enantioselective catalysis, chiral separation, and ultrasensitive detections. Herein, plasmonic CD responses of gold nanoparticle based nanostructures are summarized. Two kinds of plasmonic CD phenomena are investigated: structural CD and induced CD. Structural CD is the response from chiral assemblies composed of plasmonic NPs with strong dipole–dipole interactions. Induced CD is the response of nonchiral plasmonic NPs with chiral molecules attached at surface. The weak CD is the result of Coulomb interaction between chiral molecules and plasmonic NPs. Efforts on how to achieve strong CD signals for these two configurations by using chiral molecules and Au nanoparticles are reported. The fabrication of chiral nanostructures, tuning and amplification of CD responses, CD‐based biosensors, chiral catalysis, and future perspectives are presented. The importance of the shape anisotropy of gold nanorods in the generation and amplification of CD signals is especially highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anorexia nervosa (AN) has the highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses, and weight restoration is a primary medical goal for treatment of AN. An atypical antipsychotic drug, olanzapine, has shown some promise as a possible adjunctive treatment option for patients with AN. Olanzapine might be a promising treatment option for patients with AN. [Extracted from the article]

Sugarcane smut caused by Sporisorium scitamineum seriously impairs sugarcane production and quality. Sexual mating/filamentation is a critical step of S. scitamineum pathogenesis, yet the regulatory mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we identified the SsAGA, SsODC, and SsSAMDC genes, which are involved in polyamine biosynthesis in S. scitamineum. Deletion of SsODC led to complete loss of filamentous growth after sexual mating, and deletion of SsAGA or SsSAMDC caused reduced filamentation. Double deletion of SsODC and SsSAMDC resulted in auxotrophy for putrescine (PUT) and spermidine (SPD) when grown on minimal medium (MM), indicating that these two genes encode enzymes that are critical for PUT and SPD biosynthesis. We further showed that low PUT concentrations promoted S. scitamineum filamentation, while high PUT concentrations suppressed filamentation. Disrupted fungal polyamine biosynthesis also resulted in a loss of pathogenicity and reduced fungal biomass within infected plants at the early infection stage. SPD formed a gradient from the diseased part to nonsymptom parts of the cane stem, suggesting that SPD is probably favourable for fungal virulence. Mutants of the cAMP–PKA (SsGPA3–SsUAC1–SsADR1) signalling pathway displayed up‐regulation of the SsODC gene and elevated intracellular levels of PUT. SsODC directly interacted with SsGPA3, and sporidia of the ss1uac1ΔodcΔ mutant displayed abundant pseudohyphae. Furthermore, we found that elevated PUT levels caused accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), probably by suppressing transcription of ROS‐scavenging enzymes, while SPD played the opposite role. Overall, our work proves that polyamines play important roles in the pathogenic development of sugarcane smut fungus, probably by collaboratively regulating intracellular redox homeostasis with the cAMP–PKA signalling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The associations between several blood inflammatory indicators and risk of vascular plaques remain inconclusive. A total of 4596 native rural residents in Southeast China were enrolled from the Fuqing cohort study. Blood cell counts and their composite indexes including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and 2 novel indicators (systemic immune inflammation index (SII) and systemic immune inflammation response index (SIRI)) were considered as inflammatory indicators. Common carotid and femoral intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaques were assessed using B-mode ultrasound. Unconditional or multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate potential associations. The prevalence of multiple femoral plaques (defined as IMT ≥1.5 mm) was significantly higher among participants with the highest tertile of total leukocyte count (odds ratio, 1.78), neutrophil count (1.88), monocyte count (2.51), platelet count (1.68), NLR (1.93), PLR (1.57), SII (2.10), and SIRI (2.94). Higher levels of neutrophil count, platelet count, NLR, and SII were also found to have significant linear dose-response relationships with the prevalence of stenosis, especially in femoral arteries. In conclusion, several blood inflammatory biomarkers may contribute to, or are associated with, the presence of IMT ≥1.5 mm or stenosis especially in femoral arteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The evidence about the effects of trace elements on overall survival(OS) of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC) is limited. This study aims to evaluate mixed effects of plasma trace elements on OS of ESCC. Methods: This prospective cohort analysis included 497 ESCC patients with a median follow-up of 52.3 months. The concentrations of 17 trace elements were measured. We fitted Cox's proportional hazards regression, factor analysis and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models to estimate the association between trace elements and OS. Results: Our analysis found that in the single-element model, Co, Ni, and Cd were associated with an increased risk of death, while Ga, Rb, and Ba were associated with a decreased risk. Cd had the strongest risk effect among all elements. As many elements were found to be mutually correlated, we conducted a factor analysis to identify common factors and investigate their associations with survival time. The factor analysis indicated that the factor with high factor loadings in Ga, Ba and B was linked to a decreased risk of death, while the factor with high factor loadings in Co, Ti, Cd and Pb was associated with a borderline significantly increased risk. Using BKMR analysis to disentangle the interaction between elements in significant factors, we discovered that Ga interacted with Ba and both elements had U-shaped effects with OS. Cd, on the other hand, had no interaction with other elements and independently increased the risk of death. Conclusions: Our analysis revealed that Ga, Ba and Cd were associated with ESCC outcome, with Ga and Ba demonstrating an interaction. These findings provide new insights into the impact of trace elements on the survival of patients with ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind power intervals with different confidence levels have an impact on both the economic cost and risk of dispatch plans for power systems with wind power integration. The higher the confidence level, the greater the bandwidth of corresponding intervals. Thus, more reserves are needed, resulting in higher economic cost but less risk. In order to balance the economic cost and risk, a unit commitment model based on the optimal wind power confidence level is proposed. There are definite integral terms in the objective function of the model, and both the integrand function and integral upper/lower bound contain decision variables, which makes it difficult to solve this problem. The objective function is linearized and solved by discretizing the wind power probability density function and using auxiliary variables. On the basis, a rolling dispatching model considering the dynamic regulation costs among multiple rolling plans is established. In addition to balancing economic cost and risk, it can help to avoid repeated regulations among different rolling plans. Simulations are carried on a 10-units system and a 118-bus system to verify the effectiveness of the proposed models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of high-speed railway construction around the world, the structural damage problem of tracks and bridges has attracted more and more attention. In this paper, considering the random structural damages of tracks and bridges, an efficient computational procedure is developed based on the probability density evolution method to systematically investigate the random characteristics of the dynamic responses varying with the damages in vehicle–track–bridge time-dependent systems. Firstly, a vehicle–track–bridge dynamic model with random structural damage parameters is established, and the random motion equations are derived based on the generalized energy principle. Then, the probability density evolution equation for each random response is established and the random feature is investigated by the proposed computational procedure. Finally, the representative numerical examples are applied and some conclusions for the effects of the random structural damages on the dynamic responses of the vehicle–track–bridge systems are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Variations in the prevalence and systemic inflammatory (SI) status between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and newly defined metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) have only been reported by few studies. Hence, this study aimed to compile data on the prevalence and the systemic inflammation levels of MAFLD and NAFLD in a general population from Southeast China was summarized to explore the potential effect of the transformation of disease definition. Methods: A total of 6718 general population participants aged 35–75 were enrolled. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were used to examine the relationship between 15 SI indicators and NAFLD and MAFLD. The predicted values of MAFLD and NAFLD were analyzed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: The prevalence of MAFLD and NAFLD was 34.7% and 32.4%, respectively. Their overlapping rate was 89.7%, while only 8.3% and 1.9% of participants were MAFLD-only and NAFLD-only. Among three FLD groups, the MAFLD-only group had the highest levels of 8 SI indicators, including CRP, WBC, LYMPH, NEUT, MONO, ALB, NLR, and SIRI. The non-FLD group had the lower levels of all 15 SI indicators compared with all FLD subgroups. The odds ratios (ORs) of 10 SI indicators were significant in both multivariable-adjusted logistic regression and RCS analyses of MAFLD or NAFLD, including CRP, WBC, LYMPH, NEUT, MONO, ALB, PLR, LMR, ALI and CA. ROC analysis showed that the AUC values of all SI were lower than 0.7 in both MAFLD and NAFLD. Conclusions: MAFLD could cover more FLD than NAFLD, and the MAFLD-only group had a more severe inflammation status, whereas the NAFLD-only exhibited lower levels. Moreover, there was not a high AUC and a high sensitivity of SI indicators, suggesting that SI indicators are not good indicators to diagnose NAFLD/MAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]