Search

Micro‐Doppler effect is a vital feature of a target that reflects its oscillatory motions apart from bulk motion and provides an important evidence for target recognition with radars. However, establishing the micro‐Doppler database poses a great challenge, since plenty of experiments are required to get the micro‐Doppler signatures of different targets for the purpose of analyses and interpretations with radars, which are dramatically limited by high cost and time‐consuming. Aiming to overcome these limits, a low‐cost and powerful simulation platform of the micro‐Doppler effects is proposed based on time‐domain digital coding metasurface (TDCM). Owing to the outstanding capabilities of TDCM in generating and manipulating nonlinear harmonics during wave‐matter interactions, it enables to supply rich and high‐precision electromagnetic signals with multiple micro‐Doppler frequencies to describe the micro‐motions of different objects, which are especially favored for the training of artificial intelligence algorithms in automatic target recognition and benefit a host of applications like imaging and biosensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Photo‐ageing is a form of skin ageing which affects the entire face. A photo‐aged skin has a diverse variety of wrinkles and dyspigmentation all over the face. Here, we discuss photo‐ageing on the Chinese skin evaluated using a photo‐numeric scale developed and validated on Caucasian skin (i.e., Caucasian scale) and evaluated using a photo‐numeric scale developed and validated on Korean skin (i.e., Korean scale). The Korean scale can be subdivided into two scales that separately address the wrinkling and dyspigmentation constituents of photo‐ageing. Aim: As there are currently no photo‐ageing scales for Chinese skin, the main objective of this study is to adapt existing photo‐ageing photo‐numeric scales for use on ethnic Chinese skin. Method: Three trained assessors studied facial photo‐ageing on 1,081 ethnic Chinese young adults from the Singapore/Malaysia Cross‐sectional Genetics Epidemiology Study (SMCGES) cohort. Results: All assessors are highly internally consistent (Weighted Kappa (κw) values≥0.952). We found that the Caucasian scale and Korean scale give nearly synonymous results for the wrinkling constituent of photo‐ageing (R2 = 0.9386). The two scales are strongly concordant (Spearman's Rank Correlation (ρ) value: 0.62 ± 0.06, p = 1.31×10−84). A weak‐to‐moderate inter‐scalar level of agreement (Cohen's Kappa (κ) values: 0.38 ± 0.05, p = 8.87×10−53) persists and is statistically significant after accounting for agreements due to chance. When tested on ethnic Chinese skin, both scales detect photo‐ageing consistently (Area under curve [AUC] values: 0.76‐0.84). Additionally, the Korean scale for the dyspigmentation constituent of photo‐ageing is concordant with both the Caucasian scale (R2 = 0.7888) and the Korean scale for the wrinkling constituent of photo‐ageing (R2 = 0.7734). Conclusion: Our results show that the Caucasian scale is suitable for capturing photo‐ageing on Chinese skin, especially wrinkle variations. The Korean dyspigmentation scale supplements the Caucasian scale to capture dyspigmentation patterns on Chinese skin that may be absent on Caucasian skin. Currently, photo‐ageing scales for Chinese skin are absent. When developed, these photo‐ageing scales must be properly validated for their ability to capture photo‐ageing of the entire face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this experiment was to study the effects of different levels of Clostridium butyricum supplementation on the gas production, fermentation parameters, and nutrient digestibility in TMR diet by in vitro gas production method, so as to determine the appropriate amount of Clostridium butyricum supplementation in beef cattle diet. Holstein steers with permanent fistula were selected as rumen fluid donors and TMR as culture substrate. The control group (CON group) only contained the culture substrate, while the Clostridium butyricum test group added Clostridium butyricum with the concentrations of 2x108 (CB1 group), 4x108 (CB2 group), 6x108 (CB3 group), 8x108 (CB4 group) and 10x108 CFU/kg (CB5 group) on the basis of the culture substrate, with six replicates at each level. The results showed that the in vitro gas production of CB1 group was significantly lower than that of other groups when the fermentation time was 2 h and 4 h (P<0.05). When the fermentation time was 12 h, the in vitro gas production of CB3 group, CB2 group, CB4 group, and CB5 group was significantly higher than that of CON group and CB1 group (P<0.05). The pH value in each experimental group were significantly lower than those in CON group (P<0.05), while the content of ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) was significantly higher than that in CON group (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference among the experimental groups (P>0.05). The concentrations of acetic acid, propionic acid, and total acid in CB3 group, CB4 group and CB5 group were significantly higher than those in CON group (P<0.05). Isobutyric acid content in CB1 group, CB2 group and CB3 group was significantly higher than that in CON group (P<0.05). Dry matter digestibility (DMD) and neutral detergent fiber degradation (NDFD) of each experimental group were significantly higher than those of CON group (P<0.05). The degradation rate of acid detergent fiber (ADFD) in CB2 group was significantly higher than that in CON group (P<0.05). The study indicates that the addition of Clostridium butyricum can increase gas production, NH3-N, acetic acid, propionic acid, total volatile acid content and DMD. The suitable addition of Clostridium butyricum is 6x108 CFU/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polarization and phase manipulations have gained widespread applications across various fields. The emergence of metasurface provides a new platform for the manipulation of electromagnetic waves. However, most metasurfaces are limited to modulating only one single property. Here, a coding metasurface that achieves 1‐bit phase manipulations of both co‐polarized and cross‐polarized reflected waves for linear and circular polarization wave excitations. Notably, the proposed metasurface enables co‐polarized 1‐bit phase responses for incident electric fields with arbitrary orientations and spin directions. The simulated results demonstrate an operating efficiency over −1.7 dB in the frequency range from 7 to 11.1 GHz, with a relative bandwidth of 45.3%. Furthermore, the introduction of space‐polarization coding strategies facilitates the beam and polarization manipulations. To verify the feasibility of the coding metasurface, a sample and conduct experiments are fabricated, revealing good agreement between the simulations and measurements. These findings hold significant promise for the advancement of radar, imaging, and wireless communication systems, with potential applications in various domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have shown that saikosaponin D (SSD) has favorable neurotherapeutic effects. Therefore, the objective of this study was to explore the efficacy and possible molecular mechanisms of SSD on pilocarpine (PP)‐induced astrocyte injury. Primary astrocytes were isolated from juvenile rats and identified using immunofluorescence. The cells were treated with PP and/or SSD for 6 h and 12 h, respectively, followed by measurement of their viability through 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol)‐2,5‐diphenyl‐tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Next, quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) was used to measure the expression levels of Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), C3, S100 calcium binding protein A10 (S100a10), pentraxin 3 (Ptx3), toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4), and RAG in astrocytes after different treatments. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and biochemical tests were utilized to evaluate the level of inflammatory factors [interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α)] secreted by cells and the content of oxidative stress‐related factors (malondialdehyde [MDA] and glutathione [GSH]) or enzyme activity (catalase [CAT] and glutathione peroxidase [GPX]) in cells. The JC‐1 mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) fluorescence probe was used to measure the MMP in astrocytes. Additionally, western blot was applied to test the expression of proteins related to the nod‐like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)/caspase‐1 signaling pathway. PP treatment (1 mM) induced cell injury by significantly reducing the viability of astrocytes and expression of cellular markers. SSD treatment (4 μM) had no toxicity to astrocytes. Besides, SSD (4 μM) treatment could significantly up‐regulate the cell viability and marker expression of PP‐induced astrocytes. Furthermore, SSD could be employed to inhibit inflammation (reduce IL‐1β, IL‐6, and TNF‐α levels) and oxidative stress (decrease MDA level, elevate GSH level, the activity of CAT and GPX), and ameliorate mitochondrial dysfunction (upregulate JC‐1 ratio) in PP‐induced astrocytes. Moreover, further mechanism exploration revealed that SSD treatment significantly reduced the activity of the NLRP3/caspase‐1 signaling pathway activated by PP induction. SSD increased cell viability, inhibited inflammation and oxidative stress response, and ameliorated mitochondrial dysfunction in PP‐induced astrocyte injury model, thus playing a neuroprotective role. The mechanism of SSD may be related to the inhibition of the NLRP3/caspase‐1 inflammasome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We evaluate skin sagging phenotypes (eyebags, droopy eyelids, low eyebrow positioning) using written descriptive scales and photo‐numeric scales. We also study how anti‐ageing interventions and digital screen time influence skin sagging. Aim: We compare the two phenotype assessment methods with each other. Method: Skin sagging and personal lifestyle data obtained from 2885 ethnic Chinese young adults from the Singapore/Malaysia cross‐sectional genetics epidemiology study (SMCGES) cohort were collated and compared. Results: Significant correlations (p‐value < 0.001) between written descriptive scales and photo‐numeric scales were observed for eyebags (0.25) and eyebrow positioning (0.08). Significant correlations (p‐value < 0.001) were observed after combining both scales for eyebags (0.38), droopy eyelids (0.30), and eyebrow positioning (0.30). Anti‐ageing interventions are associated with delayed progression of eyebags from 18–45 years old, droopy eyelids from 31–45 years old, and eyebrow positioning from 35–40 years old. Significantly lower (p‐value < 0.02) eyebrow positioning is associated with both <1 and 1–3 h of screen time stratified by age. Conclusion: Written descriptive scales provide comparable results to photo‐numeric scales. However, validating and adapting photo‐numeric scales for different populations identifies phenotypes better. Anti‐ageing interventions are beneficial at different age ranges. Screen time is associated with skin sagging in young (18–30 years old) participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Treatment failure following androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) presents a significant challenge in the management of advanced prostate cancer. Thus, understanding the genetic factors influencing this process could facilitate the development of personalized treatments and innovative therapeutic strategies. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in controlling cell growth and tumorigenesis. We hypothesized that genetic variants within this pathway may affect the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing ADT for prostate cancer. Methods: We genotyped 399 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across 28 core PI3K/AKT pathway genes in a cohort of 630 patients with prostate cancer undergoing ADT. We assessed the potential association of the SNPs with patient survival. Functional analyses of the implicated genes were also performed to evaluate their effects on prostate cancer. Results: After multivariate Cox regression analysis and multiple testing correction, GABRB3 rs12591845 exhibited the most significant association with both overall and cancer-specific survivals (P < 0.003). A comprehensive pooled analysis of 16 independent gene expression datasets revealed elevated expression of GABRB3 in prostate cancer tissues compared to that in normal tissues (P < 0.001). Furthermore, gene set enrichment analysis unveiled differential enrichment of pathways such as myogenesis, interferon γ and α responses, and the MYC proto-oncogene pathway in tumors with elevated GABRB3 expression, implying a role for GABRB3 in prostate cancer. Conclusion: Our results suggest that rs12591845 could potentially serve as a valuable prognostic indicator for patients undergoing ADT. The potential role of GABRB3 in promoting prostate tumorigenesis is also highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Far infrared radiation in the range of 4–20 µm has been showed to have biological and health benefits to the human body. Therefore, incorporating far-infrared emissivity additives into polymers and/or fabrics hold promise for the development of functional textiles. In this study, we incorporated nine types of natural minerals into polypropylene (PP) film and examined their properties to identify potential candidates for functional textiles and apparels. The addition of 2% mineral powders into PP film increased the far-infrared emissivity (5–14 µm) by 7.65%-14.48%. The improvement in far-infrared emissivity within the range of 5–14 µm, which overlaps with the peak range of human skin radiation at 8–14 µm, results in increased absorption efficiency, and have the potential to enhance thermal and biological effects. Moreover, the incorporation of mineral powders in PP films exhibited favorable ultraviolet (UV) protection and near-infrared (NIR) shielding properties. Two films, specifically those containing red ochre and hematite, demonstrated excellent UV protection with a UPF rating of 50+ and blocked 99.92% and 98.73% of UV radiation, respectively. Additionally, they showed 95.2% and 93.2% NIR shielding properties, compared to 54.1% NIR shielding properties of PP blank films. The UV protection and NIR shielding properties offered additional advantages for the utilization of polymer composite with additives in the development of sportswear and other outdoor garments. The incorporation of minerals could absorb near-IR radiation and re-emit them at longer wavelength in the mid-IR region. Furthermore, the incorporation of minerals significantly improved the heat retention of PP films under same heat radiation treatment. Notably, films with red ochre and hematite exhibited a dramatic temperature increase, reaching 2.5 and 3.2 times the temperature increase of PP films under same heat radiation treatment, respectively (46.8 °C and 59.9 °C higher than the temperature increase of 20.9 °C in the PP film). Films with additives also demonstrated lower thermal effusivity than PP blank films, indicating superior heat insulation properties. Therefore, polypropylene films with mineral additives, particularly those containing red ochre and hematite, showed remarkable heat capacity, UV-protection, NIR-shielding properties and enhanced far infrared emissivity, making them promising candidates for the development of functional textiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the heat transfer performance of the middle-deep U-bend geothermal well, the 2500 m deep U-bend geothermal well was taken as the research object at the Hebei University of Engineering. This study established a mathematical and physical model of heat transfer in a U-bend geothermal, and the influence of geothermal gradient and lithologic changes on heat transfer performance was considered. The established model was verified based on the experimental data. Numerical simulation results show that a reasonable reduction of inlet temperature can increase thermal power. The thermal power of the geothermal well will increase by about 40 kW for every 1°C reduction of inlet temperature. The thermal power can be increased with a reasonable increase in the flow rate of the circulating fluid, but the increment of the thermal power decreases gradually. The simulation results show that the thermal power and outlet temperature of a deep U-bend geothermal well can be effectively improved by appropriately reducing the inlet temperature, increasing the flow rate, increasing the collection length, increasing the well depth, increasing the insulation length of the vertical well section and using low thermal conductivity insulation materials. The research results from this study could provide a reference for the heat transfer system optimization of the middle-deep U-bend geothermal well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) astrocytopathy is a novel autoimmune disease of central nervous system (CNS). It is unclear whether Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is related to autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy. Objective: To describe the clinical, laboratory, and imaging characteristics of patients with autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy. Methods: The clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings of patients are presented. The levels of GFAP in CSF were detected by ELISA. T and B cell subsets in CSF were detected by flow cytometry. GFAP‐IgG in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were tested by cell‐based assay (CBA) and tissue‐based assay (TBA). Results: All three patients had fever, cognitive dysfunction, limb weakness, and positive GFAP‐IgG with EBV infection in CSF. Enteric glia cells may involve in this disease. Typical imaging findings include the gadolinium enhancement of linear perivascular radial perpendicular to the ventricle, meningeal enhancement (especially in midbrain interpeduncal fossa), longitudinally extensive lesions involving spindle cords, and more T2/Flair‐hyperintense lesions in the periventricular white matter at late stage. The patients had poor response to antiviral treatment and strong response to steroid pulse therapy. Conclusion: EBV could induce CNS autoimmune response in autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy. The detection of GFAP‐IgG and EBV may facilitate the early diagnosis in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2022 the American Statistical Association established the Riffenburgh Award, which recognizes exceptional innovation in extending statistical methods across diverse fields. Simultaneously, the Department of Statistics at the University of Connecticut proudly commemorated six decades of excellence, having evolved into a preeminent hub for academic, industrial, and governmental statistical grooming. To honor this legacy, a captivating virtual dialogue was conducted with the department's visionary founder, Dr. Robert H. Riffenburgh, delving into his extraordinary career trajectory, profound insights into the statistical vocation, and heartfelt accounts from the faculty and students he personally nurtured. This multifaceted narrative documents the conversation with more detailed background information on each topic covered by the interview than what is presented in the video recording on YouTube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether and how China's rise renders it a threat has been an enduring study. Such literature may be categorised into four traditions: rationalist, structuralist, culturalist, and poststructuralist. Although these highlight the objective and subjective elements of China and its rise as a security concern, there is a puzzling scarcity of analyses that investigate the extent to which the USA itself has discursively constructed China as a security issue. To examine systematically what the USA has made of China, therefore, this article applies discourse analysis to US official security discourse. It finds that, whereas the US government has constructed China as a threat to its own national security as regards cybersecurity and economic competition, it has represented China's rise to the international community only as a collective risk across the military, political, and economic sectors. This practice has been largely consistent since 2005, in spite of China's so-called "assertive" turn. The article thereby clarifies the state of US–China competition from the US perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental time travel (MTT) refers to the ability to mentally re‐experience the past and pre‐experience the future. Here we briefly review impairments in MTT, its underlying cognitive and neural mechanisms, and ways to improve MTT in psychiatric patients. Future research directions on MTT are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental time travel (MTT) is the ability to project oneself to the past or future through mental simulation. Moreover, MTT can involve self‐related or other‐related information. This study aimed to compare MTT in individuals with high levels of schizotypy and that in their counterparts with low levels of schizotypy. Participants with high (n = 37) and low (n = 37) levels of schizotypy completed an MTT task with four conditions [2 (Condition: self vs. other) × 2 (Time orientation: past vs. future)]. They were required to recall past events that had happened to themselves or to a non‐intimate person, and to imagine possible future events that might happen to themselves or to a non‐intimate person, related to cue words. Outcome measures included specificity, vividness, sense of experience, emotional valence, emotional intensity, proportion of first‐person visual perspective in events, and difficulty in event generation. A 2 (Group: high vs. low levels of schizotypy) × 2 (Condition) × 2 (Time orientation) mixed analysis of variance was conducted on each index. Results showed that self‐related MTT was more specific than other‐related MTT in low levels of schizotypy participants but not in high levels of schizotypy participants. Participants with a high level of schizotypy reported fewer specific events, and reported events with lower vividness and positive emotion than did those with a low level of schizotypy. Self‐related MTT showed higher levels of phenomenological characteristics than did other‐related MTT. In conclusion, individuals with a high level of schizotypy have altered MTT, and cannot benefit from the self‐advantage effect on the specificity of MTT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spherical carbons have a porous structure and large surface area for adsorption of macromolecules in water-based adhesives. Supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) can improve selectivity and obtain better separation for phthalate esters (PAEs). Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a simple and green method for the simultaneous determination of 10 PAEs in waterbased adhesives using SFC–tandem mass spectrometry with dispersion solid-phase extraction by spherical carbons. Method: Separation of PAEs on a Viridis HSS C18 SB column and the parameters affecting the extraction were evaluated. Results: Good accuracy and precision were obtained with the recoveries at 0.5, 2.0, and 10.0 mg/kg ranging from 82.9 to 99.5% and the intra- and inter-day precision less than 7%. The method had excellent sensitivity with limits of detection in the range of 0.015–0.029 mg/kg. In the 10–500 ng/mL concentration range, the linear correlation coefficients of all compounds were between 0.9975 and 0.9995. Conclusions: The method was applied to the determination of 10 PAEs in actual samples. This method is simple and rapid with low solvent consumption and high extraction efficiency. When applied to the determination of PAEs in actual samples, the method is sensitive and accurate and can meet the batch processing requirements for trace PAEs in water-based adhesives. Highlights: PAEs in water-based adhesives can be determined using inexpensive materials and simple procedures with SFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article quantifies the potential gains in health-adjusted life expectancy for people aged 30 to 70 years (HALE [30-70 ]) by examining the reductions in disability in addition to premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). We extracted data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 for 4 major NCDs (cancers, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes mellitus) in 188 countries from 2010 to 2019. Estimates of the potential gains in HALE [ 30-70] were based on a counterfactual analysis involving 3 alternative future scenarios: (1) achieve Sustainable Development Goals target 3.4 but do not make any progress on disability reduction, (2) achieve Sustainable Development Goals target 3.4 and eliminate NCD-related disability, and (3) eliminate all NCD-related mortality and disability. In all scenarios, the high-income group has the greatest potential gains in HALE [ 30-70] , above the global average. For all specific causes, potential gains in HALE [ 30-70] decrease as income levels fall. Across these 3 scenarios, the potential gains in HALE [ 30-70] globally of reducing premature mortality for 4 major NCDs are 3.13 years, 4.53 years, and 7.32 years, respectively. In scenario A, all income groups have the greatest potential gains in HALE [ 30-70] from diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases. In scenarios B and C, the high-income group has the greatest potential gains in HALE [ 30-70] from cancer intervention, and the other income groups have the greatest potential gains in HALE [ 30-70] from cardiovascular diseases intervention. Reducing premature death and disability from 4 major NCDs at once and attaching equal importance to each lead to a sizable improvement in HALE [ 30-70]. • Meeting Sustainable Development Goals target 3.4 would have substantial effects on life expectancy globally. • Reducing premature mortality and disability from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) at once and attaching equal importance to each lead to a sizable improvement in health-adjusted life expectancy. • In the context of a marked shift toward a greater proportion of burden because of years lived with disability from NCDs, the global effect of the equal emphasis on reducing disability and premature mortality from NCDs and its capacity to enable improvement in quality of life provides a crucial reference for shaping policy and identifying priorities for interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Lugol chromoendoscopy is the standard technique to detect an esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, a high concentration of Lugol's solution can induce mucosal injury and adverse events. We aimed to investigate the optimal concentration of Lugol's solution to reduce mucosal injury and adverse events without degrading image quality. Methods: This was a two‐phase double‐blind randomized controlled trial. In phase I, 200 eligible patients underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy and then were randomly (1:1:1:1:1) sprayed with 1.2%, 1.0%, 0.8%, 0.6%, or 0.4% Lugol's solution. Image quality, gastric mucosal injury, adverse events, and operation satisfaction were compared to investigate the minimal effective concentration. In phase II, 42 cases of endoscopic mucosectomy for early ESCC were included. The patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to the minimal effective (0.6%) or conventional (1.2%) concentration of Lugol's solution for further comparison of the effectiveness. Results: In phase I, the gastric mucosal injury was significantly reduced in 0.6% group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, there was no statistical significance in image quality between 0.6% and higher concentrations of Lugol's solution (P > 0.05, respectively). It also showed that the operation satisfaction decreased in 1.2% group compared with the lower concentration groups (P < 0.05). In phase II, the complete resection rate was 100% in both groups, while 0.6% Lugol's solution showed higher operation satisfaction (W = 554.500, P = 0.005). Conclusions: The study indicates that 0.6% might be the optimal concentration of Lugol's solution for early detection and delineation of ESCC, considering minimal mucosal injury and satisfied image. The registry of clinical trials: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03180944). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of Trechispora indigenous to southern China, T. laxa and T. tongdaoensis, are described and illustrated, and the first record of T. khokpasiensis in China is reported. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of the concatenated nuclear rDNA ITS1–5.8S– ITS2 and nuclear large subunit sequences supported the inclusion of the three species within the Trechispora clade, together with species formerly classified in Scytinopogon. The new species are similar in micromorphology to species of Trechispora (as traditionally circumscribed) but are distinguished by having coralloid basidiomata. A key to the known coralloid Trechispora species in China is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization has significant effects on China's CO2 emissions and contributes to climate change. It is of great theoretical and practical significance to explore the influencing factors of carbon emissions. Both the demographic composition and residential consumption of urban-rural residents were included in the expanding vector form of Kaya identity. This study employed the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index method (LMDI) to investigate the impact of urbanization on CO2 emissions from the perspective of residential consumption in China during 1980-2020. Six effects were included population size, urbanization, residential consumption, consumption restraint, energy intensity and emission coefficient. The results showed that residential consumption contributed far more to carbon emissions than the other five effects. The impact of urbanization on carbon emission had been greater than that of population size since the middle 1990s. The decline of residential consumption rate imposed stimulation rather than restraint on carbon emissions due to the synchronous growth of shares of higher carbon investment and export in the economy. The continuous decline of energy intensity has an obvious effect on carbon emission reduction. The research results are expected to give inspiration to guide the direction how to optimize resident consumption and to achieve green and low-carbon urbanization development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explored whether acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a cognitive behavioral therapy approach, could improve the symptoms of schizophrenia spectrum disorders among patients with schizophrenia in remission. A pre- and post-treatment design with two evaluation time points was employed. Sixty outpatients with schizophrenia in remission were randomly divided into two groups: the ACT plus treatment as usual (ACT+TAU) and treatment as usual (TAU) groups. The ACT+TAU group participated in 10 group-based ACT interventions and TAU in the hospital, and the TAU group only received TAU interventions. General psycho-pathological symptoms, self-esteem, and psychological flexibility were assessed before intervention (baseline; pre-test) and after intervention (five weeks; post-test). Results indicated that, compared to the TAU group, the ACT+TAU group exhibited a more significant improvement in general psychopathological symptoms, self-esteem, cognitive fusion, and acceptance and action at post-test. ACT intervention could effectively decrease the general psycho-pathological symptoms and increase self-esteem level and psychological flexibility in people with schizophrenia in remission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water transport is vital for the durability of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) in engineering, but its absorption behavior requires further comprehension. This study investigates the impact of silica fume (SF) and metakaolin (MK) on water absorption in UHPC matrix with a high volume of limestone powder (LS) under two curing temperatures, and the variation in water transport with pore size obtained by low field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR). Relations between cumulative water absorption with other properties were discussed, and the pore size distribution (PSD) measured by Mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) was compared with that determined by LF-NMR. Results showed that MK outperformed SF in reducing water absorption in UHPC matrix, containing 30% LS under steam curing due to the synergistic effect between MK and LS. The incorporation of LS greatly affected the water absorption process of UHPC matrix. In samples without LS, capillary and gel pores absorbed water rapidly within the first 6 h and slowly from 6 h to 48 h simultaneously. However, in samples with 30% LS, gel pore water decreased during water absorption process due to the coarsening of gel pores. MK was able to suppress gel pore deterioration caused by the addition of a large amount of LS. Compared with PSD measured by MIP, NMR performed better in detecting micropores (<10 nm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are associated with cognitive dysfunctions, including mental time travel (MTT). However, findings on diminished MTT ability may be confounded by a number of factors, including the individuals' language ability, factors related to the MTT task and the demographic factors of participants. The present study provided a meta-analysis of MTT ability in people with ASD. The results showed significant overall reductions in MTT ability in people with ASD. Moderator analyses revealed that the variables examined did not explain the reduction in MTT ability. These findings suggest that MTT ability is diminished in people with ASD and that the degree of this diminishment may not depend on the characteristics of measures or demographic variables of people with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A scalable, and cost-effective method was employed to prepare self-supported CuSn bimetallic catalyst on carbon paper. The obtained CuSn catalyst demonstrates high faradaic efficiency of CO around or above 90% at a broad potential range from −0.7 to −1.8 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode, greatly surpassing Cu or Sn counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal intermediates bearing M−X σ‐bonds are ubiquitous in metal‐mediated C−X bond transformations. Thermodynamic knowledge of M−X bond cleavage is crucial to explore relevant reactions; but little was accumulated till present due to lack of suitable determination methods. We here report the first systematic study of the Pd−X bond homolysis dissociation free energies [BDFE(Pd−X)] of representative [(tmeda)Pd(4‐F−C6H4)X] (tmeda=N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethylethylenediamine, X=OR or NHAr) in DMSO on the basis of reliable measurement of their bond heterolysis energies (ΔGhet(Pd−X)). Despite ΔGhet(Pd−O)s of palladium‐phenoxides are generally found about 8 kcal/mol smaller than ΔGhet(Pd−N)s of palladium‐amidos, their BDFE(Pd−X)s are observed comparable. The structure‐property relationship was investigated to disclose an enhancement effect of electron‐withdrawing groups on BDFE(Pd−X)s. Linear free energy relationship analysis revealed that Pd−X bonds are more sensitive than X−H bonds to structural variation. The energetic propensity of reductive elimination from arylpalladium complexes was evaluated by combinatorial use of BDFE(Pd−X)s and BDFE(C−X)s, indicating an overall thermodynamic bias to C−N bond formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High schizotypy individuals showed significantly decreased N170 and N2 amplitudes in reactive control of emotional conflict. • No significant differences in N170 or N2 were found between groups in proactive control of emotional conflict. • A dissociation in the reactive and proactive control of emotional conflict was found in high schizotypy individuals. The present study aimed to examine how individuals with high schizotypy, a high risk group of schizophrenia patients, resolve emotional conflict in proactive and reactive control and the underlying neural mechanisms. Thirty-two individuals with high schizotypy and 30 matched individuals with low schizotypy completed an emotional face–word Stroop task with electroencephalographic data recorded. The proportion of incongruent trials was manipulated in the task to induce proactive control (mostly incongruent trials context, MI context) or reactive control (mostly congruent trials context, MC context). Two event-related potential (ERP) components (N170 and N2) were examined, which represent face processing and cognitive control processes, respectively. In the MC context, significantly decreased N2 and N170 amplitudes were found in high schizotypy individuals compared with low schizotypy individuals, suggesting abnormal neural activity of reactive control in high schizotypy individuals. No significant differences were found between the two groups in the MI context. These results provide initial evidence for dissociation of neural activity of proactive and reactive control on emotional conflict in individuals with high schizotypy. The current findings provide important insight into the emotional conflict resolution in the schizophrenia spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After anastomosis of sutures or pins, the restoration of intestinal barrier function can avoid several complications, such as tissue damage and inflammation. Our previous studies demonstrated the feasibility of biodegradable magnesium (Mg) pins as novel anastomosing implants to spontaneously absorb in the body, avoiding secondary removal surgery and long-term inflammation. However, the effect of Mg pins on the intestinal tight junction barrier is rarely investigated. In this study, we conducted high-purity Mg pins inserted in the intestine of rats and prepared Mg extracts cultured intestinal epithelial cell line to investigate the biological effect on the intestinal barrier associated with tight junction protein expression. We discovered that the concentration of released Mg ions over 1.7 mM was the critical threshold, above which mRNA expression of intestinal tight junction and cell apoptosis were affected considerably. Results of the immunohistochemical analysis revealed that Mg functions to stimulate ZO-1, caspase-3, occluding, and claudin-3 expressions. We offer new insight into the effectiveness of biodegradable Mg materials as the next generation of intestinal anastomosis pins, which effectively filters toxins as well as bacteria, and reduces inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead (Pb) is considered to be a major environmental pollutant and occupational health hazard worldwide which may lead to neuroinflammation. However, an effective treatment for Pb-induced neuroinflammation remains elusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of Pb-induced neuroinflammation, and the therapeutic effect of sodium para-aminosalicylic acid (PAS-Na, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) in rat cerebral cortex. The results indicated that Pb exposure induced pathological damage in cerebral cortex, accompanied by increased levels of inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β). Moreover, Pb decreased the expression of silencing information regulator 2 related enzyme 1 (SIRT1) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and increased the levels of high mobile group box 1 (HMGB1) expression and p65 nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) phosphorylation. PAS-Na treatment ameliorated Pb-induced histopathological changes in rat cerebral cortex. Moreover, PAS-Na reduced the Pb-induced increase of TNF-α and IL-1β levels concomitant with a significant increase in SIRT1 and BDNF levels, and a decrease in HMGB1 and the phosphorylation of p65 NF-κB expression. Thus, PAS-Na may exert anti-inflammatory effects by mediating the SIRT1/HMGB1/NF-κB pathway and BDNF expression. In conclusion, in this novel study PAS-Na was shown to possess an anti-inflammatory effect on cortical neuroinflammation, establishing its efficacy as a potential treatment for Pb exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the emergency management caused by COVID-19, Taiwan began to impose a name-based rationing system for the purchase of face masks by having consumers visit physical stores and preorder them online. By doing so, the risk of face mask shortages caused by panic buying was reduced. To understand consumers' willingness to switch from buying face masks at physical stores to preordering them online, we used a push-pull-mooring (PPM) model to measure related dimensions. We administered an online questionnaire survey and collected 233 valid responses. In the present study, perceived risk (including time risk, psychological risk and social risk) was treated as a second-order formative indicator, while pull effect was measured by the variables of critical mass and alternative attraction. Mooring effect was measured by switching cost. Through structural equation modeling (SEM), perceived risk, as well as critical mass and alternative attraction, had a significant effect on switching intention, while switching cost had no significant relationship with switching intention. This study investigated whether perceived risk (time risk, psychological risk and social risk), critical mass, alternative attraction and switching cost can serve as references for purchase behaviors amid future emergency management, through the prism of population migration theory, and proposed recommendations for their promotion and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correctly specified working correlation structure ensures the efficiency in inferences for marginal regressions based on estimating equations. When there are measurement errors in covariates, however, correct specification of the working correlation structure may lead to more severe bias and higher mean squared error than working independence. We report this lesser known phenomenon and explain it in a bias analysis. The bias can be corrected using a functional approach with efficiency improved through the generalized method of moments, which works well only for large samples. For practical purposes, we further address two computational issues and correct the variance estimator for small samples. The proposed approaches are validated in simulation studies and illustrated in an example. The methods are publicly available in an R package eiv. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed priming is an effective method for imparting stress tolerance to plants. This study aimed to analyze the effects of solid matrix priming (SMP) on cauliflower and broccoli seed germination and early seedling growth under suboptimal temperature conditions. The SMP method used in this study included the following steps: (1) mixing seeds with vermiculite and water at a ratio of 2:3:2.5 (w/w/v) and incubating for 2 days in the dark at 20°C; (2) drying the SM-primed seed; (3) germinating the SM-primed and the nonprimed seeds at 10, 15, 20, and 25°C; (4) analyzing the antioxidant enzyme activities of SM-primed and nonprimed germinating broccoli and cauliflower seeds in the early germination stage at 10, 15, 20, and 25°C; and (5) testing the emergence of SM-primed and nonprimed control seeds in the early spring glasshouse. The results showed that the SMP improved seed germination vigor and early seedling growth and increased the activities of peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase in the germinating cauliflower and broccoli seeds under the suboptimal temperature conditions in the early germination stage compared with nonprimed seeds. It was observed that the suboptimal temperature conditions (i.e., 10 and 15°C) suppressed SM-primed and nonprimed seed germination and early seedling growth of cauliflower and broccoli. Inside a greenhouse, the SMP improved the emergence of cauliflower and broccoli seeds during the early spring season. SMP is an effective method for improving seed germination and the emergence of cauliflower and broccoli under suboptimal temperature conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A design of frequency reconfigurable patch antennas is presented. The antenna has a radiating patch perpendicular to the ground plane, and it can be regarded as a one‐dimensional suspended patch antenna. By placing two varactors between the radiating patch and ground plane, the operation frequency of the antenna can be tuned from 3.3 to 4.2 GHz, and a stable broadside radiation pattern with low cross‐polarization can be obtained within the operation bandwidth. A prototype of the proposed reconfigurable antenna is constructed. Both measured and simulated results of the prototype are given, and the differences between them are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delay discounting (DD) refers to the phenomenon in which the subjective value of future rewards is reduced over time. There are individual differences in the DD rate, and increased discounting has been observed in those with various psychiatric disorders. Episodic future thinking (EFT) is the act of vividly imagining events that may happen in the future. Studies have shown that EFT could reduce DD, although inconsistent results have been reported. The aim of this meta-analysis was to clarify the efficacy with which EFT reduces DD and to identify potential moderators. Forty-seven studies (including 63 contrasts) were included in the final analysis. EFT was found to significantly reduce DD (Hedges' g = 0.52). Moderator analysis showed that positive EFT (g = 0.64) was more effective in reducing DD than EFT with the valence not specifically mentioned (g = 0.28) and EFT with neutral or negative valence (g = –0.03). In addition, several factors related to the control task and DD task were related to the efficacy of EFT to reduce DD. These findings have implications for using EFT to reduce DD in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hedging is typically understood as a middle path straddling balancing/bandwagoning, the military/economic, and United States/China. This conventional understanding of hedging confuses risk and threat. It also makes the hedging concept non-falsifiable and thus analytically dubious, while further reinforcing a false dialectic of other states in the Asia-Pacific as caught between the United States and China. This article proposes to restore the centrality of risk and autonomy back to the concept of hedging. It contends that hedging is a risk management strategy that emphasizes autonomy—to retain control, reduce uncertainty, and remain secure—preventing the costs of alignment by signaling ambiguity in the military, political, and economic sectors. This hedging concept is subsequently applied to a case study of Singapore, demonstrating that the island state is the quintessential hedger. In so doing, this article develops a falsifiable concept of hedging that enables such a strategy to be explicitly identified, and importantly, returns agency back to the other states amid intensifying Sino-US competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel pattern reconfigurable patch antenna is proposed. For the proposed antenna, the surface of the radiation patch is vertical to the ground plane, and it can be considered as a one‐dimensional wire antenna. By embedding two positive‐intrinsicnegative diodes into the radiating patch, a pair of tilted beams can be generated in the E plane, and they are directed to θ = ± 30°; besides, a side lobe level of less than −15 dB is also obtained. The mechanism of generating the tilted beams is explained. Based on the pattern reconfigurable antenna, a 1 × 8 phased array is designed. Both measured and simulated results demonstrate that the phased array operated at 3.45 GHz can give a gain fluctuation of less than 1 dB when the beam is scanned from −70° to 70°, and a side lobe level of lower than −11 dB is realized in the scanning range from −60° to 60°. Details of antenna structures and array performances are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demountable steel–concrete composite structures have attracted much attention from researchers because of its fast construction, demountability and environmental friendliness. Using ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) in the hogging moment regions of demountable steel–concrete composite structures might improve their crack resistance and flexural performance. In this study, the cracking behavior, failure mode, stiffness, ultimate strength and relative slip of demountable steel-UHPC composite slabs with different stud spacings and longitudinal reinforcement ratios under hogging moment were experimentally investigated. A welded steel-UHPC composite slab was also tested to compare its behavior with the demountable slabs. The test results show the demountable steel-UHPC composite slabs have excellent crack control ability under hogging moment due to the slip of threaded headed stud and the strain hardening behavior of UHPC; the relative slip is directly associated with the stud spacing and controlled by the friction and shear force of threaded headed studs. As compared to the welded composite slab, the demountable composite slab can be easily separated after loading, the flexural capacity is slightly smaller, while the crack control ability is better and the ductility is higher. A constitutive model considering the reduction of tensile strength of UHPC after reinforcement was adoptedl the design formulas were developed to predict the elastic limit and the ultimate moment, and the bending stiffness of the demountable composite slabs under hogging moment. The test results verify the applicability of the proposed constitutive model of UHPC and design formulas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the boundary output feedback Mittag-Leffler (M-L) stabilization of a spatial multi-dimensional time fractional distributed parameter systems (DPSs), where the control input is actuated by Neumann boundary control input with the external disturbance. By employing the active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) approach, we design a disturbance observer consisting of two subsystems in light of the boundary output signal. The first one is utilized to channel the unknown disturbance to a stable system so that the second can observe the unknown disturbance. By employing the fractional Lyapunov method, the bounded disturbance observer can well estimate the external disturbance which means the observation error decays to zero in H 1 / 2 (Γ 1). Then a disturbance-observer-based stabilizing controller is proposed to ensure the M-L stability of the original system part in the closed-loop system. Finally, some simulations are included to demonstrate the theoretical results. • The boundary disturbance rejection of multi-dimensional fractional DPSs is studied. • A bounded disturbance observer is designed to estimate the disturbance in H 1 / 2 (Γ 1). • The designed controller doesn't involve high gain and achieve more rapid convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic solvent ultrafiltration (OSU) membrane as the crucial supporting layer of thin-film composite (TFC) organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) membrane can help the OSN technology to satisfy the rapidly growing demand for small-molecular separation and purification in organic solvent systems. Aiming at the two main bottlenecks of poor tolerance to strong polar solvents and low solvent flux of the conventional commercial polyimide (PI) ultrafiltration (UF) membrane, in this study, a facile method was proposed to prepare a novel polyimide/polyethyleneimine@TiO2 (PI/PEI@TiO2) OSU membrane with improved solvent resistance and permeability by synchronously coupling the non-solvent-induced phase transformation (NIPs), chemical crosslinking and interfacial in-situ biomineralization. Dut to the chemical crosslinking between PEI and PI, the PI/PEI@TiO2 membrane exhibited good resistance to more organic solvents including the strong polar aprotic solvents (e.g., DMF, NMP and DMSO), ordinary polar solvents (e.g., ethanol) and nonpolar solvents (e.g., n-hexane). At the same time, PEI synchronously catalyzed Ti-BALDH to in-situ generate the TiO2 nanoparticles via interfacial biomineralization, which improved the solvent flux of the PI/PEI@TiO2 membrane due to the creation of more channels and promoted the compatibility of TiO2 within PI/PEI matrix. Especially, the PI/PEI@TiO2-5 membrane with 5 wt% TiO2 loading showed the optimal solvent resistance and high flux in strong polar aprotic solvents (>50 L m−2 h−1·bar−1 in DMF). Therefore, the resultant new PI/PEI@TiO 2 OSU membrane will have a promising separation application in the organic solvent systems in the future. A novel organic solvent ultrafiltration membrane of polyimide/polyethyleneimine@TiO 2 (PI/PEI@TiO 2) was fabricated by synchronously coupling the non-solvent-induced phase transformation (NIPs), chemical crosslinking and interfacial in-situ biomineralization processes. The resultant PI/PEI@TiO 2 UF membrane exhibited good resistance to more organic solvents including the strong polar aprotic solvents (e.g., DMF, NMP and DMSO), ordinary polar solvents (e.g., ethanol) and nonpolar solvents (e.g., n-hexane), and high flux of strong polar aprotic solvents without sacrificing the molecular weight cutoff. [Display omitted] • A PI/PEI@TiO 2 membrane was fabricated by coupling the NIPs, chemical crosslinking and interfacial biomineralization. • The PI/PEI@TiO 2 membrane exhibited good resistance to more organic solvents including strong polar and non-polar solvents. • The PI/PEI@TiO 2 membrane showed high flux of strong polar aprotic solvents as well as lower MWCO. • The PI/PEI@TiO 2 membrane presented favorable long-term separation stability in strong polar aprotic solvent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin ageing is the result of intrinsic genetic and extrinsic lifestyle factors. However, there is no consensus on skin ageing phenotypes and ways to quantify them. In this systematic review, we first carefully identified 56 skin ageing phenotypes from multiple literature sources and sought the best photo-numeric grading scales to evaluate them. Next, we conducted a systematic review on all 44 Genome-wide Association Studies (GWAS) on skin ageing published to date and identified genetic risk factors (2349 SNPs and 366 genes) associated with skin ageing. We identified 19 promising SNPs found to be significantly (p-Value < 1E−05) associated with skin ageing phenotypes in two or more independent studies. Here we show, using enrichment analyses strategies and gene expression data, that (1) pleiotropy is a recurring theme among skin ageing genes, (2) SNPs associated with skin ageing phenotypes are mostly located in a small handful of 44 pleiotropic and hub genes (mostly on the chromosome band 16q24.3) and 32 skin colour genes. Since numerous genes on the chromosome band 16q24.3 and skin colour genes show pleiotropy, we propose that (1) genes traditionally identified to contribute to skin colour have more than just skin pigmentation roles, and (2) further progress towards understand the development of skin pigmentation requires understanding the contributions of genes on the chromosomal band 16q24.3. We anticipate our systematic review to serve as a hub to locate primary literature sources pertaining to the genetics of skin ageing and to be a starting point for more sophisticated work examining pleiotropic genes, hub genes, and skin ageing phenotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The smart radio environment has become an eye-catching topic and is believed to own great potential in future wireless networks. Its essential demand lies in sensing and manipulating the electromagnetic (EM) fields accurately and simultaneously with the same aperture, which is hard to achieve using conventional methods due to the difficulty in integrating different systems. We propose a millimeter-wave space–time-coding digital metasurface (STCM) to realize simultaneous in situ direction finding and field manipulation. An analytic method of direction finding is first developed using the STCM modulated by a space–time-coding (STC) matrix while maintaining its original capability of EM field manipulations. In addition, three STC matrices corresponding to different EM functions are applied to the STCM to verify the feasibility and robustness of direction findings experimentally. Finally, a proof-of-concept prototype is built to exhibit different EM functions according to the incident angle detected simultaneously. The proposed concept sets the stage for the integrated implementation of the perception and response of the radio environment, which may find promising applications in future intelligent wireless networks and self-adaptive systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Interleukin (IL)-5 mediates the development of eosinophils (EOS) that are essential for tissue post-injury repair. It remains unknown whether IL-5 plays a role in heart repair after myocardial infarction (MI). This study aims to test whether IL-5-induced EOS population promotes the healing and repair process post-MI and to reveal the underlying mechanisms. Methods and results MI was induced by permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery in wild-type C57BL/6 mice. Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed elevated expression of IL-5 in the heart at 5 days post-MI. Immunohistostaining indicated that IL-5 was secreted mainly from macrophages and CD127+ cells in the setting of experimental MI. External supply of recombinant mouse IL-5 (20 min, 1 day, and 2 days after MI surgery) reduced the infarct size and increased ejection fraction and angiogenesis in the border zone. A significant expansion of EOS was detected in both the peripheral blood and infarcted myocardium after IL-5 administration. Pharmacological depletion of EOS by TRFK5 pretreatment muted the beneficial effects of IL-5 in MI mice. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that IL-5 increased the accumulation of CD206+ macrophages in infarcted myocardium at 7 days post-MI. In vitro co-culture experiments showed that EOS shifted bone marrow-derived macrophage polarization towards the CD206+ phenotypes. This activity of EOS was abolished by IL-4 neutralizing antibody, but not IL-10 or IL-13 neutralization. Western blot analyses demonstrated that EOS promoted the macrophage downstream signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) phosphorylation. Conclusion IL-5 facilitates the recovery of cardiac dysfunction post-MI by promoting EOS accumulation and subsequent CD206+ macrophage polarization via the IL-4/STAT6 axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the quality of online distance education and students' online learning, an intelligent online distance education decision-making method based on cloud computing is proposed. Using computing, we provide decision-making resources for online education decision-making through the resource layer; adopt the G1 deviation maximization method to calculate the combination weight, and determine the optimal decision-making scheme in combination with bipolar binary semantics and cloud model; moreover, we provide human–computer interaction windows to view the decision-making scheme at the application layer; and complete the optimal decision-making for intelligent online education by providing the management function of cloud computing services. Experimental results show that this method can effectively obtain a decision-making scheme for network education. After the application of this method, the students' learning ability and academic performance have been significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tensile stress–strain response is considered to be the most important and fundamental mechanical property of ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC). Nevertheless, it is still a challenging matter for researchers to determine the tensile properties of UHPFRC. As a simpler alternative to the direct tensile test, bending tests are widely performed to characterize the tensile behavior of UHPFRC, but require further consideration and a sophisticated inverse analysis procedure. In order to efficiently predict the tensile properties of UHPFRC, a nonlinear inverse method based on notched three-point bending tests (3PBT) was proposed in this paper. A total of fifteen UHPFRC beams were fabricated and tested to evaluate the sensitivity of the predicted tensile behavior to variations in fiber volume fraction. A segmented stress–strain model was used, which is capable of describing the various tensile properties of UHPFRC, including strain softening and strain hardening. A more approximate formulation was adopted to simulate the load–deflection response of UHPFRC beam specimens. The closed-form analytical solutions were validated by tensile test results and existing methods in literature. Finally, parametric studies were also conducted to investigate the robustness of the proposed method. The load–deflection responses obtained from notched 3PBT could be easily converted into tensile properties with this inverse method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of nanoporous organic frameworks with excellent physicochemical stability, high selectivity, and simple processability have increasingly fulfilled the urgent need for adsorbents used in the cost-effective and energy-efficient separation of benzene (Bz) and cyclohexane (Cy) vapor mixtures. Covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs) represent particularly promising adsorbents for these applications. However, CTFs synthesized via highly advantageous Friedel--Crafts reactions with low reaction temperature and short polymerization time have been rarely reported. The present work addresses this issue by synthesizing three CTFs, denoted as CCTF-1, CCTF-2, and CCTF-3 with cycloaliphatic moieties and progressively decreasing total pore volumes, via Friedel--Crafts reactions from 9,9'-spirobifluorene, triptycene, and 1,3,5,7-tetraphenyladamantane precursors, respectively, in conjunction with cyanuric chloride. The adsorption isotherms of single component Bz and Cy vapors demonstrate that the uptake of both vapors increases with increasing total pore volume, while the dynamic breakthrough curves obtained with CCTF-1 at a temperature of 298 K and relative pressures of 0.95 present Bz and Cy vapor uptakes of 878 mg g-1 and 441 mg g-1, respectively. These results verify that the synthesized CTFs can separate Bz/Cy vapor mixtures efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A design for reconfigurable circularly polarized (CP) microstrip antennas with frequency agility is described. The main radiating element of the antenna is a suspended patch, and it is connected with two vertical feed probes. When one feed probe is used as a signal input port, the other probe can serve as a perturbation element of the microstrip antenna resonant at the fundamental mode, and consequently a CP radiation is generated. Because the dual probes are arranged in an orthogonal fashion, the antenna can be operated in right‐handed and left‐handed circular polarization modes. To vary the CP operation frequency, four varactors are mounted on the ring slot embedded on the radiating patch. Simulated results indicate that the CP frequency can be continuously tuned from 1.2 to 1.9 GHz with decreasing the capacitance of the varactors. A prototype is also fabricated, and only one DC bias is required to realize the reconfigurable antenna. The design concept of the proposed antenna is shown, and CP performances at different frequencies are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxylipins have garnered increasing attention because they were consistently shown to play pathological and/or pharmacological roles in the development of multiple cancers. Oxylipins are the metabolites of polyunsaturated fatty acids via both enzymatic and nonenzymatic pathways. The enzymes mediating the metabolism of PUFAs include but not limited to lipoxygenases (LOXs), cyclooxygenases (COXs), and cytochrome P450s (CYPs) pathways, as well as the down-stream enzymes. Here, we systematically summarized the pleiotropic effects of oxylipins in different cancers through pathological and pharmacological aspects, with specific reference to the enzyme-mediated oxylipins. We discussed the specific roles of oxylipins on cancer onset, growth, invasion, and metastasis, as well as the expression changes in the associated metabolic enzymes and the associated underlying mechanisms. In addition, we also discussed the clinical application and potential of oxylipins and related metabolic enzymes as the targets for cancer prevention and treatment. We found the specific function of most oxylipins in cancers, especially the underlying mechanisms and clinic applications, deserves and needs further investigation. We believe that research on oxylipins will provide not only more therapeutic targets for various cancers but also dietary guidance for both cancer patients and healthy humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass coating is an important thermal insulation technique used in the aerospace industry that serves as a thermal protection system (TPS) to protect the inner layer at elevated temperatures. This work highlights the superb mechanical and thermal properties of the B 2 O 3 -SiO 2 glass systems as a surface coating for space shuttle. In the B 2 O 3 -SiO 2 system, the glass transition temperature raises from 650 °C to 750 °C with increasing SiO 2 content and devitrification of the α-cristobalite phase. The Al 2 O 3 addition in B 2 O 3 -SiO 2 glass can increase the glass transition temperature from 750 °C to 1000 °C and inhibit the α-cristobalite phase. The phase transition from an unstable α-cristobalite phase to an amorphous phase was achieved at 10 wt% Al 2 O 3 -added specimens. This study demonstrates that the Al 2 O 3 -B 2 O 3 -SiO 2 glass (ABS glass) exhibits thermally stable behavior, making it an effective thermal barrier coating at elevated temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amphioctopus aegina is an important fishery resource in the coastal waters of China. In the present study, the genetic diversity and population genetic structure among four populations of A. aegina throughout its distributional range in China were assessed using the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 (COI) sequences. The results revealed a generally low genetic diversity (Hd: 0.2842-0.6670; Pi: 0.0007-0.0015) in A. aegina populations. The neighbor-joining (NJ) phylogenetic tree and the haplotype networks, as well as the results of the molecular variance (AMOVA) analyses, indicated a shallow phylogeographic structure among the four populations. However, pairwise FST statistics and genetic distance analyses revealed significant (p<0.01) genetic differentiation among Qinzhou and the rest three populations of Zhanjiang, Huizhou, and Dongshan. The demographic history analyses indicated a population expansion in A. aegina, and the role of Leizhou peninsula isolation in shaping the population differentiation. These results would largely enhance our understanding of the genetic structure and hence promote the scientific management of A. aegina fishery resources in coastal waters of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: To investigate effects of Maxingloushi decoction on lung inflammation and programmed death markers (programmed death-1 [PD-1], programmed death-ligand 1 [PD-L1]) in the lung tissue, peripheral blood, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BLF) in a mouse model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: Thirty-six mature male BALB/C mice were randomly divided into normal group (group A, n=6), COPD model group (group B, n=10), Maxingloushi decoction + COPD group (group C, n=10), and PD-1 inhibitor + COPD group (group D, n=10). The COPD model was established by smoke inhalation combined with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Levels of PD-1 and PD-L1 in plasma and BLF were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Histopathological techniques were used to semi-quantitatively analyze the immuno-fluorescence optical density (IOD) value of the lung tissue. RESULTS: In plasma and BLF, the expression of PD-1 in the group B was higher than that in the group A, and the expression of PD-L1 was lower than that in the group A. The expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 in the lung tissue was normalized in the group C in comparison with the group B (P<0.05) and the group D (P<0.05), and inflammatory cell infiltration in the lung tissue was also improved. CONCLUSIONS: These findings reveal that COPD causes an immune imbalance in the peripheral blood and lung tissue, and that both Maxingloushi decoction and PD-1 inhibitor treatment can mitigate lung inflammation in COPD by reducing PD-1 expression and increasing PD-L1 expression. The treatment effect of Maxingloushi decoction may be superior to that of PD-1 inhibitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of umbilical cable named "high-current composite umbilical cable" is composed of electronic cables, optical cables, steel tubes, and structural strengthening components. It can be regarded as a key piece of industrial equipment in subsea production systems that provide control functions, high electric current, and hydraulic remote transmission. When it is oriented at a power supply with a relatively high rated current, power transmission will produce a lot of heat. Then, the cross-sectional temperature increases, which affects the performances of its material and mechanical responses. Therefore, electro-thermal-mechanical coupled analysis is critical for the cross-sectional design of the high-current composite umbilical cable. Accordingly, a multi-physics coupled analysis was performed based on two typical umbilical cable cross sections. Finite element models were established and subjected to electro-thermal analysis to obtain a temperature distribution of the two sections at different current capacities. Based on results of temperature field analysis, the section models were subjected to thermo-mechanical analysis. The results of the two types of analyses are compared and differences are discussed, which illustrate the multi-physics coupled effect cannot be neglected. The armored layers will relatively reduce the heat dissipation performance, but compared with the umbilical cable model without the armored layers, the model with double-armored layers is less affected by temperature, so its capacity of resistance external pressure is relatively better. The proposed coupled analysis methodology provides a new guidance for the design of the high-current composite umbilical cables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]