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Understanding vacuum ultraviolet photodissociation dynamics of Carbonyl sulfide (OCS) is of considerable importance in the study of atmospheric chemistry. Yet, photodissociation dynamics of the CS(X1Σ+) + O(3Pj=2,1,0) channels following excitation to the 21Σ+(ν1′,1,0) state has not been clearly understood so far. Here, we investigate the O(3Pj=2,1,0) elimination dissociation processes in the resonance-state selective photodissociation of OCS between 147.24 and 156.48 nm by using the time-sliced velocity-mapped ion imaging technique. The total kinetic energy release spectra are found to exhibit highly structured profiles, indicative of the formation of a broad range of vibrational states of CS(1Σ+). The fitted CS(1Σ+) vibrational state distributions differ for the three 3Pj spin–orbit states, but a general trend of the inverted characteristics is observed. Additionally, the wavelength-dependent behaviors are also observed in the vibrational populations for CS(1Σ+, v). The CS(X1Σ+, v = 0) has a significantly strong population at several shorter wavelengths, and the most populated CS(X1Σ+, v) is gradually transferred to a higher vibrational state with the decrease in the photolysis wavelength. The measured overall β-values for the three 3Pj spin–orbit channels slightly increase and then abruptly decrease as the photolysis wavelength increases, while the vibrational dependences of β-values show an irregularly decreasing trend with increasing CS(1Σ+) vibrational excitation at all studied photolysis wavelengths. The comparison of the experimental observations for this titled channel and the S(3Pj) channel reveals that two different intersystem crossing mechanisms may be involved in the formation of the CS(X1Σ+) + O(3Pj=2,1,0) photoproducts via the 21Σ+ state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic radical pancreatectomy is safe and beneficial for recectable pancreatic cancer, but the extent of resection for early-stage tumors remains controversial. Methods: Consecutive patients with left-sided pancreatic cancer who underwent either laparoscopic radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (LRAMPS, n = 54) or laparoscopic distal pancreatosplecnectomy (LDP, n = 131) between October 2020 and December 2022 were reviewed. The preoperative radiological selection criteria were as follows: (1) tumor diameter ≤ 4 cm; (2) located ≥ 1 cm from the celiac trunk; (3) didn't invade the fascial layer behind the pancreas. Results: After 1:1 propensity score matching (LRAMPS, n = 54; LDP, n = 54), baseline data were well-balanced with no differences. LRAMPS resulted in longer operation time (240.5 vs. 219.0 min, P = 0.020) and higher intraoperative bleeding volume (200 vs. 150 mL, P = 0.001) compared to LDP. Although LRAMPS harvested more lymph nodes (16 vs. 13, P = 0.008), there were no statistically significant differences in lymph node positivity rate (35.2% vs. 33.3%), R0 pancreatic transection margin (94.4% vs. 96.3%), and retroperitoneal margin (83.3% vs. 87.0%) rate. Postoperative complications did not significantly differ between the two groups. However, LRAMPS was associated with increased drainage volume (85.0 vs. 40.0 mL, P = 0.001), longer time to recover semi-liquid diet compared to LDP (5 vs. 4 days, P < 0.001) and increased daily bowel movement frequency. Tumor recurrence pattern and recurrence-free survival were comparable between the two groups, but the adjuvant chemotherapy regimens varied, and the completion rate of the 6-month intravenous chemotherapy was lower in the LRAMPS group compared to the LDP group (51.9% vs. 75.9%, P = 0.016). Conclusions: LRAMPS did not provide oncological benefits over LDP for left-sided pancreatic cancer within the selection criteria, but it increased operation time, intraoperative bleeding, and postoperative bowel movement frequency. These factors impacted the regimen selection and completion of adjuvant chemotherapy, consequently compromising the potential benefits of LRAMPS in achieving better local control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The additional deformation of slab track structure subject to arbitrary soil deformation, and subsequently the dynamic deformation coordination between the track and the soil due to a moving vehicle are of significant importance in the analysis of vehicle-track-soil (VTS) interactions. In this work, the finite element modeling and numerical iterative method are presented to compile a simulation program to reveal the deformation coordinated process of slab track-soil interaction reasonably, where the contact-separation relationship at the slab track-soil interface, the interlayered gap between slab track and soil surface, and additional track deformation are derived as additional geometric excitations of VTS interaction system. In numerical studies, different slab track types considering the unit and the longitudinal connected base plates are taken as illustrative and comparative examples, where the deformation coordinated mechanism of slab track-soil interaction and its influence on vehicle-induced vibrations are clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marked by artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, revolutionary biotechnology, etc., the fourth scientific and technological revolution and industrial revolution are accelerated. In this new situation, China's higher engineering education is increasingly closely related to the Industrial Revolution, and it is urgent to train new engineering talents with innovation and entrepreneurship abilities, cross-border integration abilities and comprehensive quality to meet the needs of economic and social development. Entrepreneurial engineering talents have become an important force in promoting industrial progress and social development. Training entrepreneurial engineering talents takes engineering practice training as the driving force of teaching reform. To conduct more scientific and effective evaluation research on college students' engineering entrepreneurship ability, this study proposes the TOPSIS method based on combining CRITIC and entropy weight methods. It constructs a comprehensive evaluation index system of college students' engineering entrepreneurship ability composed of 21 indexes from four dimensions, including self-motivation ability, team management ability, technical management ability and market management ability. A questionnaire based survey was conducted among 360 college students in 6 Zhejiang Province, China universities. The results show that the improved TOPSIS model proposed in this study can make weight determination more scientific and reasonable. The improved TOPSIS model can effectively distinguish the level of engineering entrepreneurship ability of different college students. The engineering entrepreneurship ability of the students in the six universities is generally at the middle level. The years of engineering education significantly affect technical management ability (F = 4.455, p = 0.004) and market management ability (F = 19.174, p = 0.000) at a 1% level. The research conclusion has important reference value for developing engineering entrepreneurship's curriculum and practical activity systems based on the ability structure, constructing the entrepreneurship teacher system, and strengthening the cross-departmental cooperation, coordination and integration of engineering entrepreneurship education in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is a movement disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions on one side of the face. It is associated with disturbances in the brain's functional architecture. Despite this, the structural alterations in the brain related to HFS remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the cortical morphology changes in patients with HFS compared to healthy controls (HCs). Methods: We analyzed 3D T1-weighted MRI images from 33 patients with left-sided primary HFS and 33 age- and sex-matched HCs. Measurements of cortical thickness (CTh), sulcal depth, local gyrification index (lGI), and fractal dimension were taken using a computational anatomy toolbox. A general linear model, accounting for age, gender, and total brain volume, was applied for statistical analyses. Significant clusters were then assessed for correlations with clinical parameters. Results: The HFS patients displayed several cortical abnormalities when compared to HCs, including reduced CTh in the contralateral precentral gyrus and left orbitofrontal cortex, decreased sulcal depth in the left orbitofrontal cortex, and increased lGI in the right insula and superior temporal cortex. However, fractal dimension did not differ significantly between the groups. Additionally, in HFS patients, a notable negative correlation was found between the sulcal depth in the left orbitofrontal cortex and the Beck Depression Inventory-II scores. Conclusions: Our findings reveal that HFS is associated with specific surface-based morphological changes in the brain. These alterations contribute to a deeper understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms involved in HFS and may have implications for future research and treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method integrating machine learning with first-principles calculations is employed to forecast the formation energy of delafossite crystals, facilitating the rapid identification of stable crystals. This approach identifies several stable candidates and highlights the importance of atomic ionization energy and electron affinity in the formation of delafossite crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harvesting renewable mechanical energy is envisioned as a promising and sustainable way for power generation. Many recent mechanical energy harvesters are able to produce instantaneous (pulsed) electricity with a high peak voltage of over 100 V. However, directly storing such irregular high‐voltage pulse electricity remains a great challenge. The use of extra power management components can boost storage efficiency but increase system complexity. Here utilizing the conducting polymer PEDOT:PSS, high‐rate metal‐free micro‐supercapacitor (MSC) arrays are successfully fabricated for direct high‐efficiency storage of high‐voltage pulse electricity. Within an area of 2.4 × 3.4 cm2 on various paper substrates, large‐scale MSC arrays (comprising up to 100 cells) can be printed to deliver a working voltage window of 160 V at an ultrahigh scan rate up to 30 V s−1. The ultrahigh rate capability enables the MSC arrays to quickly capture and efficiently store the high‐voltage (≈150 V) pulse electricity produced by a droplet‐based electricity generator at a high efficiency of 62%, significantly higher than that (<2%) of the batteries or capacitors demonstrated in the literature. Moreover, the compact and metal‐free features make these MSC arrays excellent candidates for sustainable high‐performance energy storage in self‐charging power systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crossing conjugate normal faults (CCNFs) are extensively developed in many hydrocarbon-producing basins, generally existing in the form of incomplete CCNFs. Nevertheless, the effect of the non-conjugate zone of the CCNFs on the conjugate relay zone post late tectonic action has not been previously studied. We use 3D elastic-plastic modeling to investigate the influence of incomplete (i.e., partially intersecting) CCNFs on the pattern of deformation of strata in the intersection region. A series of model simulations were performed to examine the effects of horizontal tectonic extension, fault size, and fault depth on the deformation of conjugate relay zones of incomplete CCNFs. Our analyses yielded the following results. (1) The model of incomplete conjugation predicts a convex-up style of deformation in the conjugate graben region superimposed on overall subsidence under applied horizontal tectonic extension. (2) The degree of convex-up deformation of the conjugate graben depends on the influence of the non-conjugate zone on the conjugate relay zone, which varies with the amount of horizontal tectonic extension, fault size, and fault burial depth. (3) Our results indicate that incomplete CCNFs can form convex-up deformation, similar to that in the Nanpu Sag area and provide a sound understanding of hydrocarbon migration and accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stellar occultation technique is capable of atmospheric trace gas detection using the molecule absorption characteristics of the stellar spectra. In this paper, the non-iterative and iterative retrieval methods for oxygen and air density detection by stellar occultation are investigated. For the single-band average transmission data in the oxygen 761 nm A-band, an onion-peeling algorithm is used to calculate the effective optical depth of each atmospheric layer, and then the optical depth is used to retrieve the oxygen number density. The iteration method introduces atmospheric hydrostatic equilibrium and the ideal gas equation of state, and it achieves a more accurate retrieval of the air density under the condition of a priori temperature deviation. Finally, this paper analyzes the double solution problem in the iteration process and the ideas to improve the problem. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the development of a new type of atmospheric density detection method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UV curing hybrid materials via the photo polymerization have significant significance for the lithography fields due to the high resolution. In this work, the UV-curable SiO2 materials with chelating compound structure are synthesized by photosensitive Sol–Gel approach, which have a wide absorption band at 267 nm. With the UV light irradiation, the chelating compound structure decomposes and the solubility of the film in organic solvent decreases. Based on this premise, the presented material exhibits the ability to fabricating highly ordered SiO2 microarrays on several substrates through UV photolithography. The SiO2 micro arrays can be used to as templates to prepare noble metal micro-structures, which own wide potential application prospects in highly ordered SERS substrates with high activity and reproductivity for trace detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The internalisation of stigma has adverse effects on the recovery and quality of life of people with severe mental illnesses. Studies have shown that life experiences in one's close environment are highly relevant in explaining the onset and development of self‐stigma. Families play a critical role in the daily care of people with severe mental illness and have a profound impact on patient recovery. This qualitative study explored the influence of family on stigma internalisation among people with severe mental illness in the context of Chinese culture. A grounded theory design was used. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 20 patients with severe mental illness and 10 family members, and observations were carried out among five of the families. The data analysis followed three steps (open, axial and selective coding) and involved the use of a constant comparative method and memo writing. The COREQ reporting checklist was used to report the results. Our findings revealed that families can facilitate and impede stigma internalisation in people with severe mental illness via negative or positive daily interactions. A theoretical framework was developed to present the potential effects of the identified family factors on stigma internalisation. Three major family factors influencing patients' internalised stigma were identified, namely, “beliefs of family members” at the individual level, “responses within the family” at the intrafamilial level and “differentiated family environment” at the level of the whole family system, in which “biased beliefs of family members” could bring about “negative responses within the family” and further result in patients' internalised stigma. Our findings suggested that mental health stigma internalised by ill people should be viewed within the broad context of the family. Family‐based programs aimed at improving positive interactions and support within the family need to be developed and launched, with particular attention given to interventions for affiliate stigma, coping with stigma and families' negative responses towards people with severe mental illness to prevent the internalisation of stigma by patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This article investigates an adaptive fast finite‐time tracking control problem for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems with output hysteresis. The idea of output hysteresis compensation is skillfully extended to adaptive design by employing a hysteresis inverse transformation and barrier Lyapunov function. The backstepping technique is adopted to establish the fast finite‐time control strategy, which can realize finite‐time convergence of the closed‐loop system. A rigorous theoretical analysis is performed to illustrate that the signals in the closed‐loop systems are bounded in finite time, and the tracking error can converge into a compact set with sufficient accuracy. Finally, a numerical simulation is given to confirm the effectiveness of the presented strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agar, as a seaweed polysaccharide mainly extracted from Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis, has been commercially applied in multiple fields. To investigate factors indicating the agar accumulation in G. lemaneiformis, the agar content, soluble polysaccharides content, and expression level of 11 genes involved in the agar biosynthesis were analysed under 4 treatments, namely salinity, temperature, and nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. The salinity exerted the greatest impact on the agar content. Both high (40‰) and low (10‰, 20‰) salinity promoted agar accumulation in G. lemaneiformis by 4.06%, 2.59%, and 3.00%, respectively. The content of agar as a colloidal polysaccharide was more stable than the soluble polysaccharide content under the treatments. No significant correlation was noted between the two polysaccharides, and between the change in the agar content and the relative growth rate of the algae. The expression of all 11 genes was affected by the 4 treatments. Furthermore, in the cultivar 981 with high agar content (21.30 ± 0.95%) compared to that (16.23 ± 1.59%) of the wild diploid, the transcriptional level of 9 genes related to agar biosynthesis was upregulated. Comprehensive analysis of the correlation between agar accumulation and transcriptional level of genes related to agar biosynthesis in different cultivation conditions and different species of G. lemaneiformis, the change in the relative expression level of glucose-6-phosphate isomerase II (gpiII), mannose-6-phosphate isomerase (mpi), mannose-1-phosphate guanylyltransferase (mpg), and galactosyltransferase II (gatII) genes was highly correlated with the relative agar accumulation. This study lays a basis for selecting high-yield agar strains, as well as for targeted breeding, by using gene editing tools in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When compared to OER at the anode of the water electrolyzer, UOR for urea electrolysis can effectively fulfill energy-saving hydrogen production. Various noble-metal-free materials have been regarded as promising electrocatalysts to accelerate the UOR process. The progress, design trends, challenges, and prospects of such electrocatalysts toward UOR are summarized here, with a focus on the activity-enhancing strategies by representing typical examples. [Display omitted] • The energy-saving hydrogen production can be fulfilled by replacing OER with UOR at anode. • Various noble-metal-free catalytic materials for efficiently catalyzing UOR are summarized. • The underlying activity-structure relationships are discussed in detail. • The current challenges and further prospects in this field are also presented. When the anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) of water splitting is replaced by the urea oxidation reaction (UOR), the electrolyzer can fulfill hydrogen generation in an energy-economic manner for urea electrolysis as well as sewage purification. However, owing to the sluggish kinetics from a six-electron process for UOR, it is in great demand to design and fabricate high-performance and affordable electrocatalysts. Over the past years, numerous non-precious materials (especially nickel-involved samples) have offered huge potential as catalysts for urea electrolysis under alkaline conditions, even in comparison with frequently used noble-metal ones. In this review, recent efforts and progress in these high-efficiency noble-metal-free electrocatalysts are comprehensively summarized. The fundamentals and principles of UOR are first described, followed by highlighting UOR mechanism progress, and then some discussion about density functional theory (DFT) calculations and operando investigations is given to disclose the real reaction mechanism. Afterward, aiming to improve or optimize UOR electrocatalytic properties, various noble-metal-free catalytic materials are introduced in detail and classified into different classes, highlighting the underlying activity-structure relationships. Furthermore, new design trends are also discussed, including targetedly designing nanostructured materials, manipulating anodic products, combining theory and in situ experiments, and constructing bifunctional catalysts. Ultimately, we point out the outlook and explore the possible future opportunities by analyzing the remaining challenges in this booming field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spin-forbidden O(3P2) + CO(X1Σ+, v) channel formed from the photodissociation of CO2 in the low energy band centered at 148 nm is investigated by using the time-sliced velocity-mapped ion imaging technique. The vibrational-resolved images of the O(3P2) photoproducts measured in the photolysis wavelength range of 144.62–150.45 nm are analyzed to give the total kinetic energy releases (TKER) spectra, CO(X1Σ+) vibrational state distributions, and anisotropy parameters (β). The TKER spectra reveal the formation of correlated CO(X1Σ+) with well resolved v = 0–10 (or 11) vibrational bands. Several high vibrational bands that were observed in the low TKER region for each studied photolysis wavelength exhibit a bimodal structure. The CO(X1Σ+, v) vibrational distributions all present inverted characteristics, and the most populated vibrational state changes from a low vibrational state to a relatively higher vibrational state with a change in the photolysis wavelength from 150.45 to 144.62 nm. However, the vibrational-state specific β-values for different photolysis wavelengths present a similar variation trend. The measured β-values show a significant bulge at the higher vibrational levels, in addition to the overall slow decreasing trend. The observed bimodal structures with mutational β-values for the high vibrational excited state CO(1Σ+) photoproducts suggest the existence of more than one nonadiabatic pathway with different anisotropies in the formation of O(3P2) + CO(X1Σ+, v) photoproducts across the low energy band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cat states, as an important resource in the study of macroscopic quantum superposition and quantum information applications, have garnered widespread attention. To date, preparing large-sized optical cat states has remained challenging. We demonstrate that, by utilizing interaction-free measurement and the quantum Zeno effect, even a fragile quantum microscopic system can deterministically control and become entangled with strong light fields, thereby generating large-amplitude optical cat states. During the entire preparation process, our method ensures that the microscopic system functions within a weak field environment, so that its quantum property can be protected. Furthermore, we show that the preparation of cat states is possible even when the quantum microsystem suffers from significant photon loss, provided that optical losses from classical devices are kept low, which implies that the fidelity of the cat state can be enhanced by improvements to and the perfection of the classical optical system. In quantum physics, superposition—illustrated by Schrödinger's cat being both dead and alive—inspires 'cat states', utilized in quantum technologies. The authors propose a theory where the optical state, through multiple indirect atom interactions in an interferometric setup, can generate large-amplitude optical cat states, advancing quantum applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationally designing stable nonaqueous electrolytes for Mg metal anodes demands a thorough understanding of their interfacial behaviors. Here, the critical role of cation–anion pairing in improving the cathodic stabilities of amine‐based electrolytes against solvent reduction and H2 evolution is identified. It is demonstrated that strong coordination between solvating amine groups and the Mg2+ cation facilitates the dehydrogenation of the ─NH2 group, which is mainly responsible for low reversibility during Mg metal plating and stripping. Introducing ion‐pairing into the primary solvation shell can effectively weaken the amine coordination such that its reduction is suppressed. A novel interfacial behavior regarding parasitic reaction product dissolution is also identified, which is responsible for the failure of interfacial passivation. An ion‐pairing electrolyte is developed based on a weakly‐solvated amine molecule and strongly coordinating Mg2+ salt. This electrolyte composition delivers long‐term Mg metal anode cycling with 99.6% Coulombic efficiency for 800 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to potential the potential utilization of nonlinear energy sinks (NESs) for controlling longitudinal vibrations in a double-rod system. The research introduces a longitudinal vibration prediction model for a double-rod system equipped with NESs. The generalized Hamilton principle is employed to derive governing equations of the double-rod system. The longitudinal vibration responses of the double-rod system are numerically solved through the application of Galerkin truncation method. The longitudinal vibration responses of the double-rod system are impacted by NESs, as they yield accurate numerical results. The installation of both NES 1 and NES 2 concurrently is recommended for mitigating the vibration of the double-rod system. Under reasonable single-frequency excitations, modifying the parameters of NESs can significantly alter both the vibration state and magnitudes of vibration in the double-rod system. Furthermore, the synchronous optimization of parameters in NES 1 and NES 2 is crucial for effectively controlling vibrations in the double-rod system. Sensitive parameter areas of NESs provide the possibility of controlling the vibration of the double-rod system by utilizing NESs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by Sugawara operators, we introduce a new basis for the universal non-degenerate Whittaker module of level κ over the classical affine Kac-Moody algebra of type B N (1) , C N (1) or D N (1). This basis is different from the one derived from the PBW basis and would help us to understand the structure of Whittaker modules. As a result, we classify simple non-degenerate Whittaker modules for the classical affine Kac-Moody algebras whether at the critical or noncritical level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fracture network structure of coal is very complex, and it has always been a hot issue to characterize the fracture network structure of coal by using a tree-like branching network. In this paper, a new rough fracture permeability model of water injection coal based on a damaged tree-like branching network is proposed. In this model, fractal theory and sine wave model are used to characterize the rough characteristics of fracture structure. In addition, the applicability of the model is verified by the self-developed experimental system, and the sensitivity analysis and weight analysis of the influencing factors in the model are carried out. The results show that the factors affecting the permeability of the established permeability mathematical model are mainly the amplitude factors of sinusoidal fluctuation, length ratio, maximum branch series, number of damaged fractures, opening ratio, opening fractal dimension and initial fracture length. Among them, the sinusoidal fluctuation amplitude factor has the greatest influence on the permeability and the other two are inversely proportional. Therefore, with pulsating water injection, the frequency of changes in the water pressure was altered to improve the water injection efficiency in coal fractures with sinusoidal distribution to increase permeability. The research results provide a theoretical basis for further improving the theoretical models for seepage in porous media and fluid flow analysis of damaged tree-like branching networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer after non-melanoma skin cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in US men. Its incidence and mortality rates vary substantially across geographical regions and over time, with large disparities by race, geographic regions (i.e., Appalachia), among others. The widely used Cox proportional hazards model is usually not applicable in such scenarios owing to the violation of the proportional hazards assumption. In this paper, we fit Bayesian accelerated failure time models for the analysis of prostate cancer survival and take dependent spatial structures and temporal information into account by incorporating random effects with multivariate conditional autoregressive priors. In particular, we relax the proportional hazards assumption, consider flexible frailty structures in space and time, and also explore strategies for handling the temporal variable. The parameter estimation and inference are based on a Monte Carlo Markov chain technique under a Bayesian framework. The deviance information criterion is used to check goodness of fit and to select the best candidate model. Extensive simulations are performed to examine and compare the performances of models in different contexts. Finally, we illustrate our approach by using the 2004-2014 Pennsylvania Prostate Cancer Registry data to explore spatial-temporal heterogeneity in overall survival and identify significant risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: More than 2 billion women are experiencing the menopausal transition in China, and some of these women have hypertension. Limited studies has focused on perimenopausal syndrome and hypertension in a specific population, so we aimed to investigate the prevalence of perimenopausal syndrome and hypertension and to analyse their relationships and risk factors in perimenopausal women in South China. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 3553 women aged 40 to 60 years from South China. We collected medical report, lifestyle, blood sample, general condition questionnaire, and modified Kupperman index (mKMI) data. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for perimenopausal syndrome and hypertension during perimenopause. Results: The prevalence of hypertension in perimenopause patients was 16.58%, and the prevalence of perimenopausal syndrome was 9.9%. Compared with women without hypertension during perimenopause, women with HTN during perimenopause had an increased risk of perimenopausal syndrome (26.4% vs. 8.7%, P < 0.001). Lipid levels and urinary tract infections were risk factors for hypertension and perimenopausal syndrome, in addition to the presence of breast nodules, the intake of snacks at night, high-salt diets, red meat and sugar-sweetened beverages, and a history of smoking and drinking for perimenopausal syndrome and the presence of gestational hypertension and diabetes for hypertension. Conclusion: We concluded that perimenopausal syndrome and HTN are common in perimenopausal women in South China, and the associations between them are strong and positive. Perimenopausal syndrome shares some common risk factors with HTN during perimenopause, such as BMI and dyslipidaemia. Therefore, gynaecological endocrinologists in China should consider screening for perimenopausal syndrome in hypertensive perimenopausal women, and appropriate management of perimenopause is needed to alleviate these conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a thermo-chemo-mechanical analysis of a 2D tubular Protonic Ceramic Electrolysis Cell (PCEC). The mechanical model considers both thermal and chemical expansion. To provide a more comprehensive understanding, the mechanical model considers both thermal and chemical expansion which is an important phenomenon in the electrolyte material of PCECs. Crucially, this study proposes a framework that integrates a Multiphysics model and the Design of Experiments method to enable statistically-designed numerical studies of PCECs. The effects of five structural parameters and four operating parameters on the mechanical behaviour of PCECs are systematically investigated. The chemical expansion is important to be considered in the mechanical model, since it shows that the consideration of chemical expansion leads to a higher stress level in PCECs, accounting for more than 25% of the total stress at 600 °C. The study reveals that the chemical expansion is primarily influenced by cathode porosity and electrolyte thickness, whereas total stress level is mainly affected by cathode porosity current density and operating temperature. The proposed framework also generates interpretable surrogate models with good prediction performance, which can be applied in future optimization work. Overall, this study highlights the importance of considering chemical expansion in PCEC mechanical analysis and offers a systematic approach for numerical investigations. • A thermo-chemo-mechanical model is developed for a tubular PCEC. • Both thermal and chemical expansion are considered. • Numerical studies are statistically-design with DOE method. • Cathodic porosity affects chemical expansion most significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro oocyte maturation (IVM) technology is important for assisted animal and human reproduction. However, the maturation rates and developmental potential of in vitro-matured oocytes are usually lower than those of in vivo-matured oocytes. Oxidative stress is a main factor that causes the lower maturation rates and quality of in vitro-matured oocytes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of treatment with SkQ1, a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant, on mouse IVM and subsequent embryonic development. The results demonstrated that the supplementation of SkQ1 during IVM improves the maturation rates of mouse oocytes and the subsequent developmental competence of in vitro-fertilized embryos. The addition of SkQ1 to the IVM medium also decreased oxidative stress and apoptosis, and increased mitochondrial membrane potential in matured mouse oocytes. This study provides a new method through which to enhance the maturation rates and the quality of in vitro-matured mouse oocytes, thus promoting the application and development of assisted animal and human reproductive technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leafhoppers comprise over 20,000 plant‐sap feeding species, many of which are important agricultural pests. Most species rely on two ancestral bacterial symbionts, Sulcia and Nasuia, for essential nutrition lacking in their phloem and xylem plant sap diets. To understand how pest leafhopper genomes evolve and are shaped by microbial symbioses, we completed a chromosomal‐level assembly of the aster leafhopper's genome (ALF; Macrosteles quadrilineatus). We compared ALF's genome to three other pest leafhoppers, Nephotettix cincticeps, Homalodisca vitripennis, and Empoasca onukii, which have distinct ecologies and symbiotic relationships. Despite diverging ~155 million years ago, leafhoppers have high levels of chromosomal synteny and gene family conservation. Conserved genes include those involved in plant chemical detoxification, resistance to various insecticides, and defence against environmental stress. Positive selection acting upon these genes further points to ongoing adaptive evolution in response to agricultural environments. In relation to leafhoppers' general dependence on symbionts, species that retain the ancestral symbiont, Sulcia, displayed gene enrichment of metabolic processes in their genomes. Leafhoppers with both Sulcia and its ancient partner, Nasuia, showed genomic enrichment in genes related to microbial population regulation and immune responses. Finally, horizontally transferred genes (HTGs) associated with symbiont support of Sulcia and Nasuia are only observed in leafhoppers that maintain symbionts. In contrast, HTGs involved in non‐symbiotic functions are conserved across all species. The high‐quality ALF genome provides deep insights into how host ecology and symbioses shape genome evolution and a wealth of genetic resources for pest control targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesis of strongly quantum confined and emissive CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals with sizes <4 nm has proven challenging owing to fast nucleation and rapid growth. In this work, ultra-small blue-emitting (∼461 nm) CsPbBr3 nanocrystals with an average particle size of 3.2 nm are synthesized via a high-temperature (170 °C) colloidal approach by controlling the supersaturation reaction conditions. Our approach yielded stable nanocrystals with uniform size, shape, and excellent color purity, making them promising for blue light emitting diode (LED) applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The endometrium of most unexplained infertility (UI) patients has been altered histologically. Shear wave elastography (SWE) is utilized to assess the signature of living tissue. This study aimed to explore the value of SWE in evaluating endometrial receptivity (ER) in UI patients. Methods: In total, 59 UI patients (UI group) and 52 normal control women (NC group) who received fertility consultation in our hospital were included between January 2022 and June 2023. We divided them into the late-proliferative phase of UI group (LPUI; n = 59), mid-secretory phase of UI group (MPUI; n = 41), late-proliferative phase of NC group (LPNC; n = 52), and mid-secretory phase of NC group (MPNC; n = 45). Transvaginal ultrasonography and SWE were performed during the LP and MP. Endometrial thickness (EMT), uterine artery pulsatility index (UA-PI), endometrial mean elasticity (E-mean), and mean shear wave velocities (SWV-mean) were measured. Results: There were significant differences in E-mean, SWV-mean, EMT, and UA-PI between the UI group and the NC group during both the LP and MP (p MPNC vs MPUI < 0.05, p LPNC vs LPUI < 0.05). E-mean and SWV-mean decreased with increasing EMT but increased with increasing UA-PI (p < 0.05). The most effective parameter for evaluating ER in UI patients is the E-mean (AUC = 0.89). Conclusions: UI patients exhibited thinner endometrium, increased endometrial stiffness, and poor endometrial blood perfusion. E-mean was the most effective parameter to evaluate ER in UI patients. The study preliminarily proved that SWE is a promising non-invasive tool for evaluating the condition of endometrium. Critical relevance statement: This study aimed to explore the significance of endometrial elasticity measured by SWE in evaluating patients with UI. The findings revealed a correlation between EMT, UA-PI, and E-mean. Endometrial elasticity can serve as an effective indicator for predicting ER. Key points: 1. To explore the significance of endometrial elasticity in assessing patients with UI. 2. The endometrium of UI patient exhibited thinness, stiffness, and poor blood perfusion. 3. Endometrial elasticity serves as a valuable indicator for evaluating endometrial receptivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health problems leads to serious disease burden among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV). The study aimed at measuring the mental disorders-caused burden of disease based on PLHIV in mainland China. The data used was from the national HIV/AIDS case reporting system, life expectancy (LE) and LE-eliminated suicide were evaluated by the life-table method. The total YLLs and YLLs caused by suicide in each age group were calculated. The disability weights were estimated by the scale of depression symptoms (CES-D) from the multi-center cross-sectional survey, then calculated the corresponding YLDs as a burden of mental illness among PLHIV. Results showed that the LE had been prolonged by implementing antiviral therapy for PLHIV. The proportion of YLLs caused by suicide was the highest (5·46%) in the 15–24 age group. The YLDs in the 25–34 age group were the highest. The YLLs caused by suicide in males were higher than those in the same age group of females. The YLDs and YLLs were higher in heterosexual-infected PLHIV than in homosexual-infected PLHIV, except for YLLs in the 25–34 age group. In summary, this study first provided localized data on the disease burden caused by mental health problems among PLHIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a series of M-type hexagonal SrCoxFe12−xO19 (x=0, 0.25, 0.5) samples have been prepared by sol–gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that the samples produced were all p63/mmc space groups of single hexagonal crystals, and the lattice parameters a, b and c did not show the expected trend with increasing x. This was related to the valence changes and lattice distortion caused by the substitution of Co2+ at the 2a and 4f2 sites. Room temperature Mössbauer spectra studies showed that when x=0, Fe3+ ions were not uniformly distributed, preferring the 4f1, 4f2 and 2a sites; when x=0.25, Co2+ ions preferentially displaced the 2a and 4f2 sites and the presence of Fe2+ was detected; when x=0.5, Co2+ ions preferentially displaced the 4f1 and 2b sites and the percentage of Fe2+ occupancy was reduced, with a greater occupancy (RA) occurring at the 12k site, indicating a preference of Fe3+ of the doped sample for this site. This work will provide an important reference for the variation of properties induced by different ion doping substitutions of the Fe sites in the hexagonal ferrite family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complementary characteristics of SAR and optical images are beneficial in improving the accuracy of land cover classification. Deep learning-based models have achieved some notable results. However, how to effectively extract and fuse the unique features of multi-modal images for pixel-level classification remains challenging. In this article, a two-branch supervised semantic segmentation framework without any pretrained backbone is proposed. Specifically, a novel symmetric attention module is designed with improved strip pooling. The multiple long receptive fields can better perceive irregular objects and obtain more anisotropic contextual information. Meanwhile, to solve the semantic absence and inconsistency of different modalities, we construct a multi-scale fusion module, which is composed of atrous spatial pyramid pooling, varisized convolutions and skip connections. A joint loss function is introduced to constrain the backpropagation and reduce the impact of class imbalance. Validation experiments were implemented on the DFC2020 and WHU-OPT-SAR datasets. The proposed model achieved the best quantitative values on the metrics of OA, Kappa and mIoU, and its class accuracy was also excellent. It is worth mentioning that the number of parameters and the computational complexity of the method are relatively low. The adaptability of the model was verified on RGB–thermal segmentation task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass has always been regarded as a latent resource owing to the lack of competitive technology to convert it into an active substance. Electroreduction is considered as a burgeoning catalytic technology for upgrading biomass into a variety of high-value chemicals and energy-intensive biofuels through different transformation routes, such as hydrogenation, hydrogenolysis, deoxidation, reductive amination, and dimerization. This review summarizes recent advances in the electrocatalytic reduction of various biomass-derived molecules (e.g., levulinic acid, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, furfural, phenol, guaiacol, benzaldehyde, acetophenone, and benzoic acid) by taking into account the particle size, morphology, and electronic structure of the catalysts as well as the applied potential, charge transfer, and acid/alkali balance of electrochemical cells. Insights into the reaction mechanisms and pathways are presented to formulate electrolytes and catalytic sites required for specific reactions. Another objective is to summarize and discuss documented catalyst modification strategies for enhancing the electrocatalytic reaction rate and selectivity. Present challenges, promising applications, and future orientations are also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An integrated model for investigating the train-induced cumulative deformation of subgrade is established. • The subgrade deformation is regarded as the time-varying excitation of train-track-subgrade interaction system. • The time-varying dynamic response of train-track-subgrade interaction system is described by this integrated model. This work focuses on two research projects. The first project deals with the prediction of the train-induced cumulative deformation of the high-speed railway subgrade based on the train-track-subgrade dynamic model, and the second project deals with the long-term performance of the train-track-subgrade interaction system subject to the permanent deformation of the subgrade. The train-track-subgrade interaction is established as the model fundament, and the empirical model of soil cumulative deformation prediction is introduced to realize the joint analysis of the train-induced cumulative deformation of the subgrade and its effect on the performance of the time-varying dynamic system. From the numerical results, the train-induced cumulative deformation of subgrade shows a fast and then slow trend, and the deformation has periodic distribution in the longitudinal direction. Although the cumulative deformation of the subgrade for the ballastless track is small compared with that of ballasted track, its effect on the vertical response of the train-track-subgrade interaction system is obvious. With the development of cumulative deformation of subgrade, the vibrations of the car body are excited in the frequency band of 0∼100 Hz. Furthermore, the maximum car body vertical accelerations, the wheel-rail vertical forces, and the vertical accelerations of track and subgrade increase by about 34∼48.4%, 125 %, 400 %, and 66.7 %, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a sequence of operators τ n that describes the time evolution of normal states of an open quantum system. Our objective is to analyze the asymptotic behavior of τ n ∘ ⋯ ∘ τ 1 (ω 0) , where ω 0 is an arbitrary initial normal state. Our focus is on specific situations in which the operators τ n are produced by various quantum Markov semigroups of weak coupling limit-type. To tackle this problem, we introduce a new result concerning exponential convergence to equilibrium in the trace norm for quantum Markov semigroups, provided that their induced semigroups have a spectral gap. Moreover, applications to quantum annealing are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a versatile spectroscopic technique, which plays a crucial role in enhancing analytical sensitivity, investigating interfacial reaction mechanisms, enabling biosensing, and fostering efficient catalysis. Currently, the common SERS substrates are primarily metal nanostructures, which entail high manufacturing costs, complex processes, and the metal surface undergo change over time and with environmental conditions. These issues limit the development of SERS technology. In this work, a nitrogen‐doped graphene (N‐graphene) hydrangea was synthesized on a silicon (Si) substrate using plasma‐assisted chemical vapor deposition (PACVD), forming an N‐graphene hydrangea/Si hybrid structure as a SERS substrate. This substrate offers the advantages of high stability, ultra‐sensitivity, and reusability. The three‐dimensional nano‐cavity structure of graphene can increase the interaction between light and graphene, resulting in an increased localized electric field. Combining theoretical simulation analysis, the introduction of nitrogen (N) elements adjusts the Fermi level of graphene, promoting efficient charge transfer. In practical scenarios, Di(2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), a commonly used plasticizer, has raised concerns due to its potential as an endocrine disruptor and carcinogen. The as‐prepared SERS substrate achieves a remarkable detection limit of as low as 10−8m for DEHP, providing significant support for environmental conservation and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) following enucleation is high, and prophylactic pancreaticojejunostomy (PPJ) is frequently performed. Minimally invasive enucleation (MEN) has been demonstrated to be safe and feasible, leaving most enucleation wounds exposed. Methods: The clinical data of 40 patients who underwent open enucleation with PPJ at our center between 2012 and 2021 were compared with those of 80 patients who underwent MEN. Results: The MEN group had better outcomes than the PPJ group in terms of intraoperative bleeding (50.0 versus 100.0 mL), postoperative semi‐liquid diet recovery (2.0 versus 5.0 days), and postoperative length of stay (7.7 versus 12.5 days). While the MEN group had higher rates of complex enucleation (60.0% versus 40.0%), main pancreatic duct repair (32.5% versus 10.0%), discharge with drains (48.8% versus 25.0%), and grade B POPFs (47.5% versus 17.5%). Both surgical methods effectively preserved pancreatic function; however, two patients in the PPJ group experienced severe haemorrhaging and died. Additionally, during the follow‐up period, gastrointestinal bleeding was found and discomfort in the surgical area was reported. Conclusion: Pancreatic enucleation combined with PPJ should be avoided, and although a biochemical or grade B POPF may develop after MEN, it can be compensated for by preserving pancreatic function and ensuring a good long‐term quality of life in the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a methodology for automatically generating 3D models of individual shrubs from point clouds acquired by Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) devices. The creation of accurate 3D models for shrubs holds significant value for ecological studies. The shrub modelling is more challenging compared to other tree modelling tasks, due to the presence of substantial noise and fuzzy branch structures. To address these challenges, our approach first partitions the input point cloud into two categories: branches and others. This point segmentation process effectively eliminates interference of leaves and noise, thereby enhancing the visibility of branch skeletons. Then, we construct a triangulation network using the branch points and establish a minimum spanning tree (MST) based on this network. Serving as the initial skeleton representation of the plant, the MST preserves the essential topological structures of the branches. Within the extracted MST, we implement a recursive trimming technique to eliminate redundant branches by merging adjacent points and edges, ultimately consolidating the skeleton structure. Finally, we employ an adaptive cylinder fitting algorithm that relies on robust principal component analysis (RPCA) to generate the model. The effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method are demonstrated via experiments on different datasets, with an average fitting error of 1.13 cm, indicating that our approach can achieve high accuracy in modelling individual shrubs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dry eye disease (DED) is a widespread ophthalmic illness that inflicts massive economic and medical burdens on society. Although oxidative stress is closely associated with the onset of DED, barely any quantities of antioxidants are clinically available owing to low efficiency, toxicity, and poor bioavailability. Cerium‐based nanozymes possess promising enzyme‐mimetic activities in scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, the ultra‐small metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have the potential for more efficient drug delivery, ROS elimination, and therapeutic efficacy. However, the development of ultra‐small cerium‐based MOFs (Ce‐MOFs) is limited to a small minority due to challenges in the synthetic process and stability. By simply adjusting raw ingredients concentrations, three types of Ce‐MOFs with distinct particle sizes are synthesized: Ce‐MOF 1 (213 nm), Ce‐MOF 2 (36 nm), and Ce‐MOF 3 (2 nm). In comparison, the obtained ultra‐small Ce‐MOF 3 exhibited superior ROS scavenging and antioxidant capacity, decreased cytotoxicity, and excellent ocular penetration. Therapeutically, Ce‐MOF 3 is demonstrated to be highly efficient in alleviating DED by suppressing oxidative stress and inflammation, boosting corneal epithelial repair, and facilitating tear secretion recovery. The novel ultra‐small Ce‐MOF 3 may serve as a promising alternative treatment for DED and other ROS‐related disorders when combined with ocular biocompatibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pedestrian self-organizing movement plays a significant role in evacuation studies and architectural design. Lane formation, a typical self-organizing phenomenon, helps pedestrian system to become more orderly, the majority of following behavior model and overtaking behavior model are imprecise and unrealistic compared with pedestrian movement in the real world. In this study, a pedestrian dynamic model considering detailed modelling of the following behavior and overtaking behavior is constructed, and a method of measuring the lane formation and pedestrian system order based on information entropy is proposed. Simulation and analysis demonstrate that the following and avoidance behaviors are important factors of lane formation. A high tendency of following results in good lane formation. Both non-selective following behavior and aggressive overtaking behavior cause the system order to decrease. The most orderly following strategy for a pedestrian is to overtake the former pedestrian whose speed is lower than approximately 70% of his own. The influence of the obstacle layout on pedestrian lane and egress efficiency is also studied with this model. The presence of a small obstacle does not obstruct the walking of pedestrians; in contrast, it may help to improve the egress efficiency by guiding the pedestrian flow and mitigating the reduction of pedestrian system orderliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A high-efficient model for vehicle-track-soil dynamic interaction based on hybrid solution method. • Cyclic calculation boundary and multi-time-step strategies are integrated into the hybrid model. • The proposed hybrid model can evaluate the vehicle-track-soil performance efficiently without losing accuracy. To meet the demand for dynamic analysis of railway engineering structures accurately, the numerical model considering the coupled vibrations of the vehicle, track and substructure becomes a research tendency. However, it generates low-efficiency risk due to high degrees of freedom of the model. In this paper, a hybrid integration method based on the implicit scheme and Green's function is introduced and combined with the cyclic calculation method and the multi-time-step solution method to optimize the dynamic procedure for high-efficient solution of vehicle-track-soil (VTS) dynamic interaction. The VTS system is divided into two sub-models: vehicle-rail sub-model and the track slab-soil sub-model. The compatibility between two sub-models is maintained by the equilibrium mechanism of the fasteners' interaction forces. Through detailed validation, discussion and numerical studies, the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed model combing the hybrid integration method and two optimized dynamic solution strategies are fully demonstrated in the dynamic assessment of VTS dynamic interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To alleviate the pollution problem of dye wastewater and the problem of resource utilization of red mud, a novel biochar-loaded red mud catalyst (RMbc) was synthesized using red mud and pomelo peel biochar by a low-cost coprecipitation method. Due to the high specific surface area and abundant oxygen-containing functional groups of RMbc, the synthesis process promoted the conversion of Fe2O3 to Fe3O4 and Fe0, which achieved higher catalytic activity. Moreover, the RMbc system showed better removal effects than raw red mud for methyl orange (MO) removal. Of the MO, 92.50% was removed within 60 min, and scanning electron microscope, X-ray powder diffractometer, fourier transform infrared spectrum, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were applied to characterize the catalyst. The mechanism studies demonstrated that sodium persulfate was mainly activated by Fe0 and Fe(II) to produce reactive oxygen species O2•− and 1O2. The intermediate products of MO were identified, and a probable degradation pathway was proposed. Finally, the performance of RMbc for mixed dyes and coexisting pollutants was evaluated. The RMbc was low-cost and high catalytic activities, both showing good application prospects in experimental studies and further applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Misallocation of factors of production has been recently viewed as a promising explanation accounting for the large difference in total factor productivity (TFP) across countries. This article differs from previous studies by concentrating on interregional capital misallocation and by focusing on the role of fiscal decentralization in shaping misallocation. Using a city level panel data set, we measure intra-provincial and inter-city capital misallocation in China over 2003–2018. The empirical results based on provincial level panel data suggest that fiscal decentralization can lower inter-city capital misallocation while revenue decentralization performs better than expenditure decentralization. We further find that this positive effect is more significant and much larger when it is the market rather than government intervention that is driving the flow of capital. The results are robust to subsample regressions, IV estimations, spatial autoregressions and alternative measurement of interregional misallocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries promise great potential as high‐energy‐density energy storage devices. However, the parasitic reactions between lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and Li metal anodes render limited cycling lifespan of Li–S batteries. Herein, an organic‐rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) is constructed to inhibit the LiPS parasitic reactions and achieve long‐cycling Li–S batteries. Concretely, 1,3,5‐trioxane is introduced as a reactive co‐solvent that decomposes on Li anode surfaces and contributes organic components to the SEI. The as‐constructed organic‐rich SEI effectively inhibits the LiPS parasitic reactions and protects working Li metal anodes. Consequently, the cycling lifespan of Li–S coin cells with 50 µm Li anodes and 4.0 mg cm−2 sulfur cathodes is prolonged from 130 to 300 cycles by the organic‐rich SEI. Furthermore, the organic‐rich SEI enables a 3.0 Ah‐level Li–S pouch cell to achieve a high energy density of 400 Wh kg−1 and stable 26 cycles. This study affords an effective organic‐rich SEI to inhibit the LiPS parasitic reactions and inspires rational SEI design to achieve long‐cycling Li–S batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractChina’s rate of aging population and declining fertility are very rapid. The role of demographic transition in the development of the manufacturing industry remains controversial. We construct a heterogeneous DSGE model that includes demographic dividends to simulate and analyze the impact of demographic transition on the expansion and upgrading of manufacturing industry. Besides, we conduct empirical research using China’s provincial-level panel data from 2003 to 2020. The results reveal that, first, the recession of the first demographic dividend characterized by a decrease in labor supply has suppressed the expansion of manufacturing scale, but promoted structural upgrading; second, the second demographic dividend can promote the growth of output in various manufacturing industries, especially advanced manufacturing; third, receiving the second demographic dividend can offset the negative effect from recession of the first demographic dividend on manufacturing industry. However, the negative impact currently suffered by China’s manufacturing industry cannot be fully compensated for. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cerebellar atrophy. However, studies to elucidate the longitudinal progression of the neuropathology are limited. We sought to identify brain macrostructural and microstructural alterations in patients with SCA2 using fixel-based analysis (FBA) to better understand its distribution patterns and progression. Methods: We enrolled 9 patients with SCA2 and 16 age- and gender-matched controls. Longitudinal clinical and imaging data were collected at baseline, and 3.5 years later. Fiber density (FD), fiber-bundle cross-section (FC), and a combination of FD and FC (FDC) were calculated. The paired t-test was used to examine longitudinal differences. The associations between fixel-based metrics and clinical variables were explored in SCA2 patients. Results: At baseline, patients with SCA2 displayed multiple white matter tracts with significantly decreased FD, FC, and FDC in the corticospinal tract, cerebellar peduncles, brainstem, corpus callosum, thalamus, striatum, and prefrontal cortex, compared to controls. Over time, many of these macrostructural and microstructural alterations progressed, manifesting lower FD, FC, and FDC in corticospinal tract, middle cerebellar peduncle, brainstem, striatum, fornix, and cingulum. No significant brain white matter alterations were found in the healthy controls over time. There was no association between the FBA-derived metrics and clinical variables in SCA2. Conclusion: This study provides evidence of brain macrostructural and microstructural alterations and of progression over time in SCA2. The FBA-derived metrics may serve as potential biomarkers of SCA2 progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the theory of highway vehicle-bridge coupled vibration analysis, a program for vehicle-bridge coupling vibration analysis of highway bridges is developed using Intel Visual Fortran language. An accurate finite element model of the axle was established by measuring the parameters of the axle test model. And an experimental system of vehicle-bridge coupled vibration was designed. Then, based on theoretical analysis and experimental research, the reliability of the analysis program and test system was verified and analyzed the influence factors of vehicle-bridge coupling vibration test were analyzed, including carriageway location, vehicle-bridge mass ratio and bridge support form were discussed. The results show that: a lateral shift of 10 cm at different lane positions has little effect on the dynamic response of the axle. The axle mass ratio is an important factor affecting the dynamic response of the axle. With a vibration response being most obvious when the mass ratio is between 0.10 and 0.16 during the test process, the vertical acceleration response of bridge bearing 1 model (one end pad bearing, the other end roller bearing) was shown to be significant. This research will provide a helpful reference for others to analyze highway vehicle-bridge coupled vibration in the laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a type of acute stroke, accounting for approximately 10% of cases, with high disability and mortality rate. Early brain injury (EBI) is a critical factor in determining SAH mortality; however, there are no effective treatment interventions for EBI. Based on our results, the transmission of cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) from neurons to microglia is a key molecular event that triggers type I interferon response, amplifies neuroinflammation, and leads to neuronal apoptosis. Abnormal intracytoplasmic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is the initiating factor of the cGAS-cGAMP-STING signaling axis. Overall, the cGAS-cGAMP-STING signaling axis is closely associated with neuroinflammation after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Targeting cGAS triggered by cytoplasmic mtDNA may be useful for comprehensive clinical treatment of patients after SAH. Further studies targeting cGAS-specific antagonists for treating SAH are warranted. 7PSVyjnQMobdwLpgGMHbxK Video Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melanogenesis is the process of melanin maturation which not only protects skin from UV radiation but also plays an important role in antigenicity of melanomas. Imiquimod (IMQ) is a toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) agonist that exhibits antiviral and anticancer activity. To explore whether IMQ could induce melanogenesis in melanoma cells. The mouse melanoma cell line B16F10, the mouse immortalized melanocyte Melan-A, and human melanoma cell lines MNT-1, C32 and A375 were utilized in this study. The pigmented level was observed by the centrifuged cell pellet. The intracellular and extracellular melanin levels were examined in the absorbance in NaOH-extracted cell lysate and cell-cultured medium, respectively. The expression of melanogenesis related proteins was examined by immunoblotting. The intracellular cyclic AMP amount was evaluated by the cAMP Glo assay kit. The activity of phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B) was investigated by CREB reporter assay with overexpressed PDE4B or not. We demonstrated that a low dose of IMQ could trigger melanogenesis in B16F10 cells. IMQ induced microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) nuclear translocation, upregulated the expression of melanogenesis-related proteins, increased tyrosinase (TYR) activity, and led to pigmentation in B16F10 cells. Next, we found that IMQ-induced melanogenesis was activated by excessive intracellular cAMP accumulation, which was regulated through IMQ-mediated PDE4B inhibition. Finally, IMQ-induced ROS production was found to be involved in melanogenesis by its control of PDE4B activity. Low dose of IMQ could activate melanogenesis through the ROS/PDE4B/PKA pathway in melanoma cells. • Low-dose IMQ triggers melanogenesis in murine melanoma B16F10 cells. • Low-dose IMQ activates PKA pathway by excessive cAMP accumulation in melanoma cells. • IMQ-induced ROS inhibits PDE4B enzymatic activity and interrupts the cAMP degradation in B16F10 cells. • The mechanism of IMQ-induced melanogenesis is regulated by ROS/PDE4B/PKA pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this multicentre cohort study was to compare the long-term oncological outcomes of robotic gastrectomy (RG) and laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) for patients with gastric cancer. Methods: Patients with gastric cancer who underwent radical gastrectomy by robotic or laparoscopic approaches from 1 March 2010 to 31 December 2018 at 10 high-volume centres in China were selected from institutional databases. Patients receiving RG were matched 1 : 1 by propensity score with patients undergoing LG. The primary outcome was 3-year disease-free survival. Secondary outcomes were overall survival and disease recurrence. Results: Some 2055 patients who underwent RG and 4309 patients who had LG were included. The propensity score-matched cohort comprised 2026 RGs and 2026 LGs. Median follow-up was 41 (i.q.r. 39–58) months for the RG group and 39 (38–56) months for the LG group. The 3-year disease-free survival rates were 80.8% in the RG group and 79.5% in the LG group (log rank P = 0.240; HR 0.92, 95% c.i. 0.80 to 1.06; P = 0.242). Three-year OS rates were 83.9 and 81.8% respectively (log rank P = 0.068; HR 0.87, 0.75 to 1.01; P = 0.068) and the cumulative incidence of recurrence over 3 years was 19.3% versus 20.8% (HR 0.95, 0.88 to 1.03; P = 0.219), with no difference between groups. Conclusion: RG and LG in patients with gastric cancer are associated with comparable disease-free and overall survival. The present largest multicentre study demonstrated comparable long-term oncological outcomes between robotic (RG) and laparoscopic (LG) gastrectomy for gastric cancer. This study provides evidence suggesting that RG could offer a valid surgical alternative for gastric cancer, although its potential advantages may not turn into a survival benefit compared with LG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of traffic accidents occur worldwide each year, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths. The primary cause is the distracted behavior of drivers during the driving process. If the distracted behaviors of drivers during driving can be detected and recognized in time, drivers can regulate their driving and the goal of reducing the number of traffic fatalities can be achieved. A deep learning model is proposed to detect driver distractions in this paper. The model can identify ten behaviors including one normal driving behavior and nine distracted driving behaviors. The proposed model consists of two modules. In the first module, the cross-domain complementary learning (CDCL) algorithm is used to detect driver body parts in the input images, which reduces the impact of environmental factors in vehicles on the convolutional neural network. Then the output images of the first module are sent to the second module. The Resnet50 and Vanilla networks are ensembled in the second module, and then the driver behavior can be classified. The ensemble architecture used in the second module can reduce the sensitivity of only a single network on the data, and then the detection accuracy can be improved. Through the experiments, it can be seen that the proposed model in this paper can achieve an average accuracy of 99.0%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]