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Abstract Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) encompasses brain malignancies marked by phenotypic and transcriptional heterogeneity thought to render these tumors aggressive, resistant to therapy, and inevitably recurrent. However, little is known about how the spatial organization of GBM genomes underlies this heterogeneity and its effects. Here, we compile a cohort of 28 patient-derived glioblastoma stem cell-like lines (GSCs) known to reflect the properties of their tumor-of-origin; six of these were primary-relapse tumor pairs from the same patient. We generate and analyze 5 kbp-resolution chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) data from all GSCs to systematically map thousands of standalone and complex structural variants (SVs) and the multitude of neoloops arising as a result. By combining Hi-C, histone modification, and gene expression data with chromatin folding simulations, we explain how the pervasive, uneven, and idiosyncratic occurrence of neoloops sustains tumor-specific transcriptional programs via the formation of new enhancer-promoter contacts. We also show how even moderately recurrent neoloops can relate to patient-specific vulnerabilities. Together, our data provide a resource for dissecting GBM biology and heterogeneity, as well as for informing therapeutic approaches.

PurposeMinimally invasive therapies (MIT) have gained popularity due to their capacity to reduce trauma, enhance aesthetic outcomes, and shorten recovery periods. This article explores patients’ perceptions and preferences regarding MIT for varicose veins (VVs) while analyzing associated influencing factors to provide a better understanding.Patients and methodsA cross-sectional survey at Zhejiang Rongjun Hospital was performed from January 2022 to June 2023, involving 305 participants with VVs. The questionnaire assessed patient demographics, VVs severity, prior treatment experiences, and treatment preferences. Statistical analyses, including chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests, were conducted to explore the correlations between patient characteristics, treatment preferences, and factors influencing these choices.ResultsNearly half of the participants (44.3%) lacked information on any surgical options, whereas a slight majority (55.7%) possessed familiarity with at least one treatment modality, and only 9.8% knew of all six treatment methods presented. Patient surveys discerned that the majority (68.5%) declared an inadequate grasp of treatment methodologies to articulate a treatment preference. Among the 96 patients who made a treatment choice, 24.0% opted for traditional surgery, while 76.0% chose MIT and a higher preference for MIT among male patients compared to female patients (p = 0.006). The patients preferred treatment options for VVs significantly affected by vascular surgeon recommendations and the number of follow-up visits (r = 0.129, p = 0.024; r = 0.122, p = 0.033).ConclusionThe study highlights limited awareness of MIT among Chinese patients with VVs. The insights emphasize the influential role of vascular surgeons’ recommendations and suggest a growing predilection for less invasive treatments due to their advantages in recovery and aesthetics. Provider-patient communication, including education about available treatments and shared decision-making, is essential to align treatment plans with patient expectations and improve outcomes.

Abstract Introduction Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a chronic disease with treatment-free remission (TFR) increasingly regarded as a feasible goal of treatment. However, various factors may influence adherence to international guidelines for CML management. This study aimed to compare the reporting of care between patients with CML and their treating doctors. Methods Parallel patient and physician online surveys were conducted between September 22, 2021, and March 15, 2022, which focused on the perceptions of 1882 adult patients with CML and 305 physicians regarding tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment options, monitoring and toxicities, TFR, and challenges faced. Results Among the enrolled patients, 69.9% received first-line imatinib treatment, 18.6% received nilotinib, and 4.7% received dasatinib. Among the patients treated with imatinib, 36.7% switched to other TKIs due to imatinib resistance/intolerance (71.1%), exploration of more potent TKIs to achieve TFR (8.9%), and treating physicians’ recommendation (14.0%), with a median duration of initial treatment of 14 months [interquartile range (IQR) 6–36]. Most (91.8%) physicians agreed that the breakpoint cluster region–Abelson 1 (BCR::ABL1) transcript level should be assessed every 3 months, but only 42.7% of individuals committed to 3-monthly testing and only 17.8% strictly followed their treating physicians’ recommendation. Half of the patients aimed for TFR; however, just 45.2% of physicians considered TFR as one of the top three goals for their patients. The major concern in obtaining TFR was patients’ adherence. Fatigue was often distressing for patients with TKIs, while physicians were more concerned about platelet and neutrophil counts. A total of 12% and 20.8% of patients reported moderate/severe anxiety and depression, respectively, while only 53.7% of physicians had concerns about their patients’ mental health. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, 69.2% of patients reported a reduction in their income. Among these patients, 61.8% maintained their current treatment, while 7.3% switched to cheaper alternatives or discontinued treatment, with over 80% of these patients belonging to the low-income group. Conclusions Overcoming challenges in patient–physician communication and treatment access is key to improving disease management and quality of life, especially for patients with low income. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT05092048.

Abstract Bile acids, which are steroid molecules originating from cholesterol and synthesized in the liver, play a pivotal role in regulating glucose metabolism and maintaining energy balance. Upon release into the intestine alongside bile, they activate various nuclear and membrane receptors, influencing crucial processes. These bile acids have emerged as significant contributors to managing type 2 diabetes mellitus, a complex clinical syndrome primarily driven by insulin resistance. Bile acids substantially lower blood glucose levels through multiple pathways: BA-FXR-SHP, BA-FXR-FGFR15/19, BA-TGR5-GLP-1, and BA-TGR5-cAMP. They also impact blood glucose regulation by influencing intestinal flora, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and bitter taste receptors. Collectively, these regulatory mechanisms enhance insulin sensitivity, stimulate insulin secretion, and boost energy expenditure. This review aims to comprehensively explore the interplay between bile acid metabolism and T2DM, focusing on primary regulatory pathways. By examining the latest advancements in our understanding of these interactions, we aim to illuminate potential therapeutic strategies and identify areas for future research. Additionally, this review critically assesses current research limitations to contribute to the effective management of T2DM.

Abstract Background Individuals with multiple myeloma (MM) receiving immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) are at risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE), a serious complication. There is no established clinical model for predicting VTE in the Chinese population. We develop a new risk assessment model (RAM) for IMiD-associated VTE in Chinese MM patients. Methods We retrospectively selected 1334 consecutive MM patients receiving IMiDs from 16 medical centers in China and classified them randomly into the derivation and validation cohorts. A multivariate Cox regression model was used for analysis. Results The overall incidence of IMiD-related VTE in Chinese MM patients was 6.1%. Independent predictive factors of VTE (diabetes, ECOG performance status, erythropoietin-stimulating agent use, dexamethasone use, and VTE history or family history of thrombosis) were identified and merged to develop the RAM. The model identified approximately 30% of the patients in each cohort at high risk for VTE. The hazard ratios (HRs) were 6.08 (P

Abstract The effect of niobium ions with high‐valence doping on high‐voltage LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) materials was investigated. LiNi0.5Mn1.5−xNbxO4 was prepared by doping high‐valent niobium ions into LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 material using the organic assisted combustion method. The experimental samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electrochemical impedance (EI), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) analysis. The experimental results show that ‐doping with high‐valence niobium ions changes the orientation of the crystal plane growth of spinel particles, and the morphology of these particles changes from the octahedral shape before doping to the spherical shape after doping. With the increase in doping amount, the crystal structure changes gradually, resulting in the Li0.96Nb1.01O3 impurity phase. The doping of high valence‐niobium ions increases the content of Mn3+ in the material, resulting in the appearance of a 4 V discharge platform and the formation of a 4.7 and 4 V discharge platforms. The doping of Nb can improve the cycling stability of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 material, but the specific capacity of the material is reduced.

The zero-velocity update (ZUPT) algorithm is a pivotal advancement in pedestrian navigation accuracy, utilizing foot-mounted inertial sensors. Its key issue hinges on accurately identifying periods of zero-velocity during human movement. This paper introduces an innovative adaptive sliding window technique, leveraging the Fourier Transform to precisely isolate the pedestrian’s gait frequency from spectral data. Building on this, the algorithm adaptively adjusts the zero-velocity detection threshold in accordance with the identified gait frequency. This adaptation significantly refines the accuracy in detecting zero-velocity intervals. Experimental evaluations reveal that this method outperforms traditional fixed-threshold approaches by enhancing precision and minimizing false positives. Experiments on single-step estimation show the adaptability of the algorithm to motion states such as slow, fast, and running. Additionally, the paper demonstrates pedestrian trajectory localization experiments under a variety of walking conditions. These tests confirm that the proposed method substantially improves the performance of the ZUPT algorithm, highlighting its potential for pedestrian navigation systems.

According to the few researches on Nearly zero energy residential buildings (NZERB) in hot-summer and cold-winter zone, although it could reduce the cooling load of buildings due to its high thermal insulation and air tightness, it still needed for certain cooling in summer. This paper studied indoor environment of NZERB under three kinds of air-conditioners (split-type air-conditioner, multi-line air-conditioner and ceiling radiant air-conditioner). Firstly, a simulation model of NZERB was established based on Nanjing, a typical city in hot-summer and cold-winter zone. Secondly, variation of indoor air temperature and building load characteristics with outdoor air temperature were studied. Thirdly, indoor environment and energy consumption under three selected conventional air-conditioners in summer were simulated. Finally, the discussion was given, and an air-conditioner combining with convective and radiant cooling were proposed. The results indicated that the air-conditioner needed to be turned on in NZERB in hot-summer and cold-winter zone due to the room air temperature in off-air condition ranged from 32 °C to 36 °C, which was higher than designed indoor environment temperature in summer, but the indoor environment of NZERB under three selected conventional air-conditioners could not meet the requirements of energy saving and comfort at the same time, and a proposed convective-radiant air-conditioner could be fast, stable, and energy saving. The findings can provide a reference for conducting active technology in NZERB.

Droplet phase change is important for energy storage and saving technology. The initial profile of the droplet is extremely important for its vaporization or solidification on a horizontal surface. To understand the effect of liquid physical properties on droplet profile, a theoretical model was developed in this study, based on the Young-Laplace equation with gravity effect specially considered. After the model was experimentally validated by comparing the geometric shape of water droplets, it was further used for predicting droplet shapes of other materials, and thus analyzing the influence of different physical properties, such as temperature, pressure, surface wettability, etc. Results show that the results of this model agree well with the experimental data. The maximum and average deviations are less than 4.5% and 1.5%, respectively. For all kinds of droplets on the fixed surfaces, when the temperature increases, the droplet contact radius increases and height decreases. The droplets of nitrogen and carbon dioxide are more sensitive to temperature than ethanol and ethylene glycol droplets. For 20 μL droplets on the surface of contact angle 150°, when the temperature changes from 273.15 K to 293.15 K, the droplet contact radiuses increase by 30.6% for carbon dioxide, 1.2% for ethanol and 0.67% for ethylene glycol, and the droplet heights decrease by 42.9%, 2.5%, 1.1%, respectively. Results of this study are meaningful for predicting the phase change process of droplets on the horizontal surface by controlling their initial profiles.

Soil gas Rn and CO2 in surface rupture and deep-seated fault zones are important indicators for tectonic and seismic activities. The spatial distributions of Rn and CO2 concentrations and their relationships with earthquakes and stress state in the Wuzhong–Lingwu area of Ningxia, Northwest China, were investigated through field observations based on 76 measurement points, spatial interpolation and six crossing-fault profiles along Yellow River Fault zone (YRF). Observed results of the soil gas Rn and CO2 in different segments of Yellow River Fault zone illustrated that YRF has features of both strike-slip and certain normal fault characteristics. Moreover, the difference in seismic activity could also account for the differences in gas concentration and relative activity intensity (RAI) in the Yellow River Fault zone. Significant differences in the spatial distributions of Rn and CO2 were identified in gridded observation mode. By comparing these spatial distributions with the surface latent heat flux (SLHF), volumetric soil water layer (SWVL), and lithology, an anomalous high-Rn area was identified in the east and south Qingtongxia, and associated with Permian sandstone and mudstone in a piedmont setting. Away from a strong impact of irrigation in the Yinchuan Basin, CO2 anomalies were identified in the transition area between the Yinchuan Basin and the mountains and coincided with a dramatic negative variation of surface latent heat flux, which was considered to reflect humus accumulation, rich organic matter, and strong soil microorganism activity in loosely accumulated mountain alluvial deposits. After excluding gas anomalies related to shallow soils and surface geology, anomalies of Rn and CO2 in the west of Lingwu were consistent with the distribution of low seismic b-values and frequent seismic activity in plane and profile. According to similar studies in the north-south seismic belts, it is believed that high stress and strong seismic activity increased the permeability of rocks and boosted the gas emission in the west of Lingwu. Base on a crustal thickness variation belt, high-velocity bodies, and in this region, an higher seismic hazard was illustrated. This study offers new insight into combining geochemical characteristics of soil gas and seismological methods to estimate regional seismic hazards.

This study investigated the effect of L-PRF on promoting full-thickness skin grafting for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer wounds and attempted to characterize the mechanism. In a retrospective study, we centrifugated 10–20 ml of venous blood at 1006.2 g for 20 min. The fibrin clot between the top oligocellular plasma layer and the bottom erythrocyte layer was extracted and directly used, without compression, to cover the wound after debridement. Patients who received L-PRF before skin grafting underwent surgery earlier than patients in the control group. Skin necrosis occurred in 7 patients (28%) in the L-PRF group and 16 (64%) in the control group. The difference was statistically significant, P

As studies continue sequencing with deeper coverage, computational processing of these profiles has become increasingly resource consuming. Here the authors designed an efficient computational method called Chromap to align and preprocess high throughput sequencing data from chromatin profiling techniques, including ChIP-seq, Hi-C, or scATAC-seq, with a major decrease in runtime.

It is difficult to form nanoparticles by traditional polymerization methods, using the azobenzene monomer with large hindrance. In this work, distillation precipitation polymerization (DPP) with lowering the monomer content at the beginning and distilling the solvent at a constant speed. Monofunctional 6-(4-methoxy-4′-oxygen-azobenzene) hexyl methacrylate (Azo) as a photo-responsive monomer and methacrylic acid (MAA) as a pH responsive monomer, were used to synthesize UCNPs@SiO2@PAzo/MAA nanoparticles. After the SiO2 was etched, UCNPs@PAzo/MAA nanocapsules (NCs) were formed. The trans isomer in the PAzo shell is converted into cis under 980 nm near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, leading to a variation of size and hydrophilicity of the nanocapsules. Controlled drug loading (∼17.5%) could be performed using UV irradiation, in which the pendant Azo groups have an cis “open” state and larger hydrophilicity. Under weak acid and NIR irradiation, the pendant Azo group with constant isomerization is like a “molecular impeller” agitator and the cumulative release rate of the doxorubicin (DOX) reaches 67.88%. Furthermore, UCNPs@PAzo/MAA nanocapsules were applied to the intracellular environment, and the cytotoxicity was studied. The cell images and cytotoxicity studies showed that the drug could be efficiently delivered to the nucleus by the UCNPs@PAzo/MAA nanocapsules in a controlled manner.

BackgroundMultiple myeloma (MM) remains an incurable malignant tumor of plasma cells. Increasing evidence has reported that hypoxia and immune status contribute to the progression of MM. In this research, the prognostic value of the hypoxia–immune-related gene SLC19A1 in MM was evaluated by bioinformatics analysis.MethodRNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data along with clinical information on MM were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Consistent clustering analysis and ESTIMATE algorithms were performed to establish the MM sample subgroups related to hypoxia and immune status, respectively, based on the GSE24080 dataset. The differentially expressed analysis was performed to identify the hypoxia–immune-related genes. Subsequently, a hypoxia–immune-gene risk signature for MM patients was constructed by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, which was also verified in the GSE4581 dataset. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of SLC19A1 was determined using qRT-PCR in 19 MM patients, and the correlations between the genetic expression of SLC19A1 and clinical features were further analyzed.ResultA total of 47 genes were identified as hypoxia–immune-related genes for MM. Among these genes, SLC19A1 was screened to construct a risk score model that had better predictive power for MM. The constructed prognostic signature based on SLC19A1 was verified in the GSE4581 dataset. All independent prognostic factors (age, β2-microglobulin, LDH, albumin, MRI, and gene risk score) were used to develop a nomogram that showed a better performance for predicting the survival probability of MM patients for 1–5 years. Furthermore, SLC19A1 was highly expressed in newly diagnosed and relapsed MM patients, and high expression of SLC19A1 is correlated with higher bone marrow aspiration plasma cells and β2-microglobulin levels in MM patients.ConclusionIn conclusion, our results suggest that SLC19A1 is aberrantly expressed in MM and highly expressed SLC19A1 might be a biomarker correlated with inferior prognosis. More importantly, we identified SLC19A1 as a hypoxia–immune-related gene in MM. Future functional and mechanistic studies will further clarify the roles of SLC19A1 in MM.

Abstract Muscle-invasive bladder cancers are characterized by their distinct expression of luminal and basal genes, which could be used to predict key clinical features such as disease progression and overall survival. Transcriptionally, FOXA1, GATA3, and PPARG are shown to be essential for luminal subtype-specific gene regulation and subtype switching, while TP63, STAT3, and TFAP2 family members are critical for regulation of basal subtype-specific genes. Despite these advances, the underlying epigenetic mechanisms and 3D chromatin architecture responsible for subtype-specific regulation in bladder cancer remain unknown. Result We determine the genome-wide transcriptome, enhancer landscape, and transcription factor binding profiles of FOXA1 and GATA3 in luminal and basal subtypes of bladder cancer. Furthermore, we report the first-ever mapping of genome-wide chromatin interactions by Hi-C in both bladder cancer cell lines and primary patient tumors. We show that subtype-specific transcription is accompanied by specific open chromatin and epigenomic marks, at least partially driven by distinct transcription factor binding at distal enhancers of luminal and basal bladder cancers. Finally, we identify a novel clinically relevant transcription factor, Neuronal PAS Domain Protein 2 (NPAS2), in luminal bladder cancers that regulates other subtype-specific genes and influences cancer cell proliferation and migration. Conclusion In summary, our work identifies unique epigenomic signatures and 3D genome structures in luminal and basal urinary bladder cancers and suggests a novel link between the circadian transcription factor NPAS2 and a clinical bladder cancer subtype.

Students’ personal, emotional, and psychological traits are perceived to be highly influential in their academic engagement; therefore, many investigations have been conducted into the role of students’ characteristics in their level of engagement. Yet, the role of L2 enjoyment and academic motivation as two instances of students’ emotional traits was disregarded. To narrow this gap, this article aimed to assess the effects of these two constructs on Chinese EFL students’ academic engagement. To accomplish this, three pre-designed scales were virtually administered to 490 Chinese students. Using the Spearman Rho test, significant correlations were discovered among the variables. Further, through regression analysis, the predictive power of dependent variables was also assessed. Chinese students’ academic engagement was proved to be favorably predicted by L2 enjoyment and academic motivation. The implications and limitations are finally discussed.

Abstract Background Disparities in multiple myeloma (MM) prognosis based on sociodemographic factors may exist. We investigated whether education level at diagnosis influenced Chinese MM patient outcomes. Methods We performed a multicenter retrospective analysis of data from 773 MM patients across 9 centers in China from 2006 to 2019. Sociodemographic and clinical factors at diagnosis and treatment regimens were recorded, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Results Overall, 69.2% of patients had low education levels. Patients with low education levels differed from those with high education levels in that they were more likely to be older, and a higher proportion lived in rural areas, were unemployed, had lower annual incomes and lacked insurance. Additionally, compared to patients with high education levels, patients with low education levels had a higher proportion of international staging system (ISS) stage III classification and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and underwent transplantation less often. Patients with high education levels had a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 67.50 (95% confidence interval (CI): 51.66–83.39) months, which was better than that of patients with low education levels (30.60 months, 95% CI: 27.38–33.82, p

Predicting chromatin loops from genome-wide interaction matrices such as Hi-C data provides insight into gene regulation events. Here, the authors present Peakachu, a Random Forest classification framework that predicts chromatin loops from genome-wide contact maps, and apply it to systematically predict chromatin loops in 56 Hi-C datasets, with results available at the 3D Genome Browser.

Ischemic stroke is a common cause of death and disability worldwide, which leads to serious neurological and physical dysfunction and results in heavy economic and social burdens. For now, timely and effective dissolution of thrombus, and ultimately improvement in the recovery of neurological functions, is the treatment strategy focus. Recently, many studies have reported that transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS), as a non-invasive method, can dissolve thrombus, improve cerebral blood circulation, and exert a neuroprotective effect post-stroke. TUS can promote functional recovery and improve rehabilitation efficacy among patients with ischemic stroke. This mini-review summarizes the potential mechanism and limitation of TUS in stroke aims to provide a new strategy for the future treatment of patients with ischemic stroke.

Template matching based on zero-mean normalized cross-correlation measure (ZNCC) has been widely used in a broad range of image processing applications. To meet the requirements for high processing speed, small size, and variable image size in automatic target recognition systems, a novel field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based parallel architecture is presented in this paper for the ZNCC computation. The proposed architecture employs two groups of RAM blocks, one of which is used for the multiply-accumulate operations of the real and the reference images and the other for data rearrangement of the reference image, and their functions are switched through 2-input multiplexers when searching at the next row. Moreover, the sum of the pixels in the searching area of the real image is computed through serially accumulating the differences between the new column in the current searching area and the old column in the last searching area using one dual-port RAM. Simultaneously, the sum of the squares of the pixels is calculated in the same way. Using the Altera Stratix II FPGA chip (EP2S90F780I4) as the target device, the compilation results with Quartus II show that compared with the traditional architecture, the synthesis logic utilization decreases from 63% to 35% and the usage of DSP blocks decreases from 59% to 39%, while the memory bits only increase by 8% and the usage of other resources is nearly the same. The simulation and practical experimental results show that the proposed architecture can effectively improve the performance of the practical automatic target recognition system.

Weight-related school bullying and victimization have become important public health issues among adolescents around the world. This study aims to examine gender differences in the effects of Body Mass Index (BMI) on school bullying and victimization among secondary school students. This study conducted a survey among 2849 adolescents—1393 girls (48.9%) and 1456 boys (51.1%). The students were between 12 and 18 years of age and were recruited from ten secondary schools in 2019 in Suqian City in China. The study showed that overweight boys were more likely to bully others and be bullied by peers compared to normal weight boys. In contrast, overweight girls reported less bullying than normal-weight girls. No significant relationship was found between overweight and victimization among female students. The implications for comprehensive sexuality education practices are also discussed.

Chromatin, which consists of DNA and associated proteins, contains genetic information and is a mechanical component of the nucleus. Heterochromatic histone methylation controls nucleus and chromosome stiffness, but the contribution of heterochromatin protein HP1α (CBX5) is unknown. We used a novel HP1α auxin-inducible degron human cell line to rapidly degrade HP1α. Degradation did not alter transcription, local chromatin compaction, or histone methylation, but did decrease chromatin stiffness. Single-nucleus micromanipulation reveals that HP1α is essential to chromatin-based mechanics and maintains nuclear morphology, separate from histone methylation. Further experiments with dimerization-deficient HP1αI165E indicate that chromatin crosslinking via HP1α dimerization is critical, while polymer simulations demonstrate the importance of chromatin-chromatin crosslinkers in mechanics. In mitotic chromosomes, HP1α similarly bolsters stiffness while aiding in mitotic alignment and faithful segregation. HP1α is therefore a critical chromatin-crosslinking protein that provides mechanical strength to chromosomes and the nucleus throughout the cell cycle and supports cellular functions.

The One-Child Policy dramatically changed the Chinese family structure, and the literature indicates that only children may have an advantage in terms of family resource dilution. Moreover, as Chinese families traditionally prioritize investing in sons, only daughters are found to have been empowered by the policy because they did not need to compete with their brothers for parental investment. However, the literature is limited to only teenage children when they were still living in their parents' homes. It is unclear whether—when the generation of only children grew up and married—their family structure differed from that of children with siblings and whether married only daughters retained more family resources from their parents. Based on the data analysis of a 2016 survey, “Study of Youths in 12 Cities of Mainland China,” including a sample of 1,007 fathers and 2,168 mothers born between 1975 and 1985, this study explores the empowerment of married only daughters, employing the theory of family resource dilution in expanded Chinese families. Using educational investment in children as an example, and with random intercept models, this study presents empirical evidence that the dilution of family resources in Chinese expanded families still benefits males and patrilineal practices. Thus, this study demonstrates that Chinese families still tend to sacrifice the interests of married daughters to ensure support for their adult sons. However, it also illustrates that married only daughters could still connect to their parents' resources, giving them a relatively dominant position for decision-making regarding the family's educational expenditure on her own children. Thus, this study extends our understanding of the family resource dilution theory to Chinese expanded families, underscoring the need for further research on Chinese only children after they marry and form families of their own.

Near infrared to ultraviolet (NIR-to-UV) up-conversion nanocomposites, composed of an upconversion nanoparticle (UCNP) core and a transformable polyspiropyran shell, were prepared by distillation precipitation polymerization and the template method. The polyspiropyran shell can undergo reversible hydrophoblic-hydrophilic transformations through the switching of UV and visible light and by variation of pH. About 10 wt% of the anticancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX), can be loaded into the drug carrying layer under pH 7.4 by electrostatic force. The NIR and pH responsive features of the polyspiropyran shell were shown by the dynamic light scattering (DLS) results, in which the size of nanocomposites (UCNPs@SP-MA/MAA) became larger under NIR irradiation and pH 4.5. The hydrophobic to hydrophilic surface transformation alters the permittivity of the polyspiropyran shell and the release behavior. The cumulative release rate of the DOX-loaded UCNPs@SP-MA/MAA reached 53.8% under pH 4.5 and NIR irradiation. The cytotoxicity of the bare UCNPs@SP-MA/MAA and the DOX-loaded UCNPs@SP-MA/MAA were evaluated against breast cancer cells and the results confirmed that the toxicity of UCNPs@SP-MA/MAA nanocomposites was minimal, even at high dosage (100 μg/mL), while the toxicity of DOX can be triggered by NIR light.

In this study, we fabricated a composite polymer anion exchange membrane (AEM) with a sandwich structure. This prepared AEM demonstrated high ionic conductivity (0.25 Scm−1), excellent alkali resistance (8 M KOH), and good mechanical properties (tensile strength of 0.455 MPa and elongation at break of 82.13%). Here, degrease cotton (DC) treated with LiOH/urea aqueous solution was used and immersed into a coagulation bath to form a film. This film was immersed in acrylic acid (AA) monomers, and in-suit polymerization was carried out in the presence of KOH and an initiator. Finally, a composite polymer membrane with sandwich structure was achieved, in which the upper and bottom layers were mainly composed of polymerized AA (PAA) while the central layer was mainly composed of DC derived film. The central layer acted as a skeleton to improve the mechanical properties and alkali resistance. The top and bottom layers (PAA-rich layers) acted as OH- ion transport carriers, making basic cations migrate along the main chain of PAA. This newly developed composite membrane showed increased tensile strength and an elongation at break of 2.7 and 1.5 times, respectively, when compared to a control PAA/KOH AEM film. Furthermore, an electrochemical stability window of 2.0 V was measured via the cyclic voltammetry curve test, showing a wide electrochemical window and promising application in Zn–Air batteries.

In this paper, an impedance control algorithm based on velocity for capturing two low impact docking mechanisms (LIDMs) is presented. The main idea of this algorithm is to track desired forces when the position errors of two LIDMs are random by designing the relationship between the velocity and contact forces measured by a load sensing ring to achieve low impact docking. In this paper, the governing equation of an impedance controller between the deviation of forces and velocity is derived, and simulations are designed to verify how impedance parameters affect the control characteristics. The performance of the presented control algorithm is validated by using the MATLAB and ADAMS software for capturing simulations. The results of capturing simulations demonstrate that the impedance control algorithm can respond fast and has excellent robustness when the environmental errors are random, and the contact forces and torques satisfy the low impact requirements.

The 12-tetrahedral robot is an addressable reconfigurable technology (ART)-based variable geometry truss mechanism with 26 extensible struts and nine nodes arranged in a tetrahedral mesh. The robot has the capability of configuring its shape to adapt to environmental requirements, which makes it suitable for space exploration. This paper considers the motion planning problem for the robot in terms of gait planning and trajectory planning. First, a gait planning method is developed that limits the forward falling angles to only 25 degrees. Then, according to the given gait, the jerk-bounded method and inverse kinematics are utilized to calculate the trajectories of the nodes and the struts, respectively. A robot system model was built in ADAMS and simulations were conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of the motion planning method.

This article presented a hybrid cryocooler which combines the room temperature displacers and the pulse tube in one system. Compared with a traditional pulse tube cryocooler, the system uses the rod-less ambient displacer to recover the expansion work from the pulse tube cold end to improve the efficiency while still keeps the advantage of the pulse tube cryocooler with no moving parts at the cold region. In the meantime, dual-opposed configurations for both the compression pistons and displacers reduce the cooler vibration to a very low level. In the experiments, a lowest no-load temperature of 38.5 K has been obtained and the cooling power at 80K was 26.4 W with an input electric power of 290 W. This leads to an efficiency of 24.2% of Carnot, marginally higher than that of an ordinary pulse tube cryocooler. The hybrid configuration herein provides a very competitive option when a high efficiency, high-reliability and robust cryocooler is desired.