The utilization of optical antennas for active control of far-field radiation at the subwavelength scale is crucial in various scientific and technological applications. We propose a thermally tunable disk design of indium tin oxide (ITO) and aluminum gallium nitride (Al0.18Ga0.82As), enabling a switch between absorption and scattering. Furthermore, the control of far-field radiation pattern can be easily realized by combining ITO and Al0.18Ga0.82As to enhance or suppress emission. Our results demonstrate that hybrid structure can be dynamically tuned with temperature variations. In the proposed design, a frequency is achieved at the epsilon-near-zero wavelength of 1240 nm. The thermal tunability of hybrid structure introduces new multifunctional possibilities for light manipulation, thereby enhancing the potential applications of new devices in the near-infrared range.

Our results demonstrated that SWT stimulates osteoblastogenesis and increase the cell number of osteoblasts, suggesting positive regulatory effects on osteoblast differentiation. However, the effect of SWT on bone formation need further examination, since the expression of alp gene is downregulated. On the other hand, SWT appears to negatively regulate osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption, as number of osteoclasts and the expression of critical bone resorptive genes are all downregulated. Collectively, SWT might change the equilibrium of bone remodeling and increase the bone mass. Our data provided supportive evidences that this medicine formulation can be applied to treat osteoporosis or bone destructive diseases.

Epsilon-near-zero nanoantennas can be used to tune the far-field radiation pattern due to their exceptionally large intensity-dependent refractive index. Here, we propose hybrid optical antenna based on indium tin oxide (ITO) to optically tune the deflection of radiation. In particular, a hybrid structure antenna of ITO and dielectric material, which makes the deflection angle changes 17 ∘ as incident intensities increases. Finally, the array of ITO or hybrid nanodisks can enhance the unidirectionality to be needle-like, with the angular beam width α< 8∘ of main lobe. The deflection angle of radiation pattern response with needle-like lobe pave the way for further studies and applications in beam steering and optical modulation where dynamic control of the nanoantennas is highly desirable.

Chemotherapy treatment based on Cisplatin (CDDP) is established as the drug of choice for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Malignant tumors respond to microenvironment alteration through a dynamic balance of mitochondrial fission and fusion. HNSCC is known to have hypoxic conditions, yet the effects and underlying mechanisms of hypoxia on chemosensitivity and mitochondrial dynamics remain unclear. We found that hypoxia promoted mitochondrial fission and CDDP sensitivity in HNSCC cells. Importantly, Mff was shown to be correlated with chemosensitivity in clinical samples of HNSCC that underwent a hypoxic condition. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 α-subunit (HIF-1α) dramatically increased Mff transcriptional expression and directly bound to Mff. Hypoxia enhanced the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upregulated the expression of Mff via HIF-1α in HNSCC cells. ROS depletion in HNSCC cells attenuated HIF-1α, Mff expression, and mitochondrial fission. Moreover, a knockdown of Mff suppressed hypoxia-induced mitochondrial fission and decreased CDDP chemosensitivity in vivo and in vitro. Our findings revealed that the hypoxia-induced release of ROS promoted mitochondrial fission and CDDP chemosensitivity via the regulation of HIF-1α/Mff in HNSCC cells, indicating that Mff may serve as a new biomarker to predict neoadjuvant chemosensitivity in HNSCC patients

Chinese texts often feature a substantial volume of normative content, and their analysis has increasingly become a focal point in recent semantic analysis endeavors. Enhancing the effectiveness of text classification and clustering is pivotal in unveiling the intricate semantics within extensive textual data. Empirical research within the realm of computational social science has underscored the need for improved explanatory power when it comes to general text clustering methods applied to normative texts. This study introduces an innovative hierarchical clustering method that incorporates part-of-speech (POS) features and pioneers a novel semantic network model. It achieves this by amalgamating a POS-based feature weight calculation method with hierarchical clustering techniques. To assess its efficacy, the method is rigorously evaluated across three diverse text datasets, encompassing normative reports, news articles, and social media content. The experimental results unequivocally demonstrate the superior performance of the POS-HC method, surpassing the traditional TF and TF-IDF feature extraction methods in terms of clustering accuracy, and surpassing some existing clustering methods. Furthermore, its classification effectiveness exhibits notable advantages, particularly in the semantic classification of normative texts.

Due to poor ventilation conditions in the tunnel, if gas pipeline leaks, the consequence of the accident will be more serious. Therefore, before the emergency repair, gas in the tunnel needs to be excharged so as not to explode during the repair process. Therefore, it is necessary to study the ventilation of gas in the tunnel. Based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) theory and taking the Yanyingshan tunnel section of China-Myanmar pipeline as an example, this paper uses Fluent software to establish the leakage model of the gas pipeline and fan model in the tunnel and analyzes the influence of different fan locations and number of fans on gas concentration. It can be concluded that: (1) the use of press-in method makes it more efficient to discharge gas out of the tunnel. (2) In order to make ventilation efficient, the fan should be arranged in a higher position and needs to be at a distance from the top of the tunnel. (3) Parallel use of two fans has better ventilation effect than single fan.

In the future, the power of commercial ocean current generators can reach MW level, and the corresponding mooring rope tension is very great. But the power of the ocean current generator in research stage is KW level and it can bear less rope tension. Its main mooring rope adopts a single cable and a single foundation. This paper studies the dynamic response and rope tension of the MW-level ocean current generator mooring system. It is assumed that the commercial MW-level ocean current generator is similar to the research-type KW level, and the similarity law and several dimensionless similar parameters are proposed, including for the turbine and platform the power number, tip speed ratio, hydrodynamic damping and stiffness coefficient and others. Based on these dimensionless similar formula and the known parameters of the researched KW-level convertor, all parameters of the MW-level ocean current generator are derived. In order to overcome the extreme tension of a MW-level mooring system and provide good stability, this paper proposes the pulley-traction rope design to replace the traditional single traction rope design. The static and dynamic mathematical models of this mooring system subjected to typhoon wave impact and current are proposed and analytical solutions are obtained. The study found that the dynamic rope tension of the MW-level system with the traditional single rope system is significantly greater than its fracture strength and the dynamic tension of the pulley- traction rope system. It means that this design can effectively reduce the dynamic rope tensions of the mooring system. Moreover, if the length ratio of rope A to the seabed depth is within a safe range, the maximum rope dynamic tension will be less than the fracture strength. In addition to the MW level, the dynamic response of the 700kW level power generation system under the action of typhoon waves is also studied. It is discovered that the dynamic tension of rope D is the largest. In addition, the dynamic tension of rope D for 700kW system will exceed the original strength of design. However, only the specification of rope D is increased, the new dynamic tension is still close to the original such that the dynamic tension of rope D is significantly less than the adjusted fracture strength and the mooring system becomes safety.

Public safety and intelligent surveillance systems critically depend on anomaly behavior detection for effective monitoring. In real-world pedestrian detection scenarios, prevalent challenges such as missed detections, complex background interference, and small target sizes hinder accurate anomaly identification. To address these issues, this study introduces YOLO-ABD, a lightweight method for anomaly behavior detection that integrates small target detection and channel shuffling. This method employs YOLOv8n as the baseline model, incorporating a small target detection mechanism in the Head part and utilizing GSConv convolution in the Backbone to enhance perceptual capability. Additionally, the SimAM attention mechanism is integrated to mitigate complex background interference, thereby improving target detection performance. Evaluation on the IITB-Corridor dataset demonstrated mAP50 and mAP50-95 scores of 89.3% and 60.6%, respectively. Generalization testing on the street-view-gdogo dataset further highlighted the superiority of YOLO-ABD over advanced detection algorithms, underscoring its effectiveness and generalizability. With a relatively small parameter count, YOLO-ABD presents an excellent lightweight solution for pedestrian anomaly behavior detection.

In order to achieve its carbon peak and neutrality targets, a high proportion of distributed power sources are connected to the distribution network in China, which greatly increases the risk of distribution network operation. Aiming at the above problems, this paper proposes an active distribution network risk planning model based on multi-source data from carbon capture and power internet of things, and conducts exceeding testing of distribution network based on the stochastic load flow algorithm with semi-invariant and level expansion, calculates the semi-invariant of each order of node state vectors and branch current vectors, and then utilizes the Gram-Charlier level expansion to obtain the exceeding probability density function and probability distribution function of the node voltages and line powers of the distribution network. The probability density function and probability distribution function of the exceeding are obtained using the Gram-Charlier series expansion. Combined with multi-source data, the active distribution network with integrated energy system considering carbon capture is modeled. According to the risk scenario of the distribution network, the nonconvex constraints in the model are simplified by the second-order cone relaxation, and the optimal planning scheme of the distribution network is solved by combining the gurobi solver with the risk index as the first-level objective and the economic benefit as the second-level objective. The simulation results of a coupled network consisting of a 39-node distribution network and an 11-node transportation network verify the effectiveness of the proposed model.

In this paper, a quick and efficient method for preparation of scopolamine hydrobromide with high purity was introduced, named as magnetic field induced crystallization. Based on the solubility difference between scopolamine and scopolamine hydrobromide, salifying crystallization was selected and then treated with the synergistic effect of magnetic field to achieve the aim of scopolamine purification. The effects of crystallization solvents and magnetic field intensity on the crystallization process of scopolamine hydrobromide, as well as the influnence of magnetic field on the crystal growth direction were investigated. The results revealed that after treatment under magnetic field, the shortened induction time (25.64%-75.46%), the increased purity of crystals (0.95%-2.92%) and the improved recovery rate (4.51%-10.78%) were achieved. Furthermore, we also found that magnetic field could destroy the hydrogen bond in the solution, and change the physical properties of the mother liquid, so as to promote the nucleation formation and crystal growth. The above experiments suggested that the external magnetic field has the potential to be a feasible method for scopolamine preparation.

We report an all-optical radio-frequency (RF) spectrum analyzer with a bandwidth greater than 5 terahertz (THz), based on a 50-cm long spiral waveguide in a CMOS-compatible high-index doped silica platform. By carefully mapping out the dispersion profile of the waveguides for different thicknesses, we identify the optimal design to achieve near zero dispersion in the C-band. To demonstrate the capability of the RF spectrum analyzer, we measure the optical output of a femtosecond fiber laser with an ultrafast optical RF spectrum in the terahertz regime.

The fast decoding of low-density parity-check (LDPC) is crucial for its future applications. In this paper, we propose to use Early Termination (ET) and Force Convergence (FC) techniques to accelerate the decoding of two new local/global two-phases decoding algorithms to reduce the Globally Coupled (GC) LDPC codes. Specifically, ET is applied in the local decoding phase of two- phases decoding of GC-LDPC codes to skip the local decoding which is highly likely to fail and avoid the unnecessary iterations. FC is applied in global decoding phase where converged variable nodes are identified and removed from Tanner graph and the decoding can be speed up shrinking parity check matrices. Two variants are proposed for the ET operation in local decoding phase. ET-1 merely stops iteration if it meets the stopping criterion while in ET-1, the iteration number saved in local decoding is added up in global decoding to improve the decoding performance. The simulation results show that the ET-1-FC scheme can save up to 42% decoding time complexity in the low SNR region while keeping the error rate performance nearly unchanged, the ET-2-FC can improve the error rate performance by 0.18dB at bit error rate 0.001 or 0.23dB at frame error rate 0.1. In the waterfalling region of BER/FER curves, both schemes can save about 25% decoding time complexity.

The shear stress generated by wall turbulence is the main cause of wall friction resistance in turbulent flow through pipes. This paper investigates the impact of inserting rest periods (regions of constant Reynolds number) within the pulsating operating cycle of velocity on the fully turbulent flow at large time-averaged Reynolds numbers, using the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) method. The study aims to explore the effect of increasing rest periods within pulsations on drag resistance. The dimensionless shear stress and drag reduction rates during different time periods of rest were analyzed. Numerical simulation results indicate that the pulsating velocity operation mode does not necessarily lead to drag reduction; it may even result in increased resistance. Inserting rest periods within the pulsation cycle can achieve drag reduction effects, with the maximum drag reduction rate reaching 21.8\%. Comparisons with experimental data and Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) from the literature validate the feasibility of using the LES method for pipe pulsating operation modes.

Wireless sensor networks are widely used in many applications such as environmental monitoring, health care, smart grid and surveillance. Many security protocols have been proposed and intensively studied due to the inherent nature of wireless networks. In particular, Wu et al. proposed a promising authentication scheme which is sufficiently robust against various attacks. However, according to our analysis, Wu et al.'s scheme has two serious security weaknesses against malicious outsiders. First, their scheme can lead to user impersonation attacks. Second, user anonymity is not preserved in their scheme. In this paper, we present these vulnerabilities of Wu et al.'s scheme in detail. We also propose a new scheme by fixing such vulnerabilities and improving the performance of the protocol.

Heterosis plays a significant role in enhancing variety, boosting yield, and raising economic value, but the molecular mechanism is still unclear. We analyzed the transcriptomes and 3D genomes of hybrid (F1) and its parents (w30 and 082). Analysis of the expression revealed a total of 485 specially expressed genes (SEGs), 173 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) above parental expression level, more actively expressed genes and up-regulated DEGs in F1. Further study revealed that the DEGs detected in F1 and its parents were mainly involved in response to auxin, plant hormone signal transduction, DNA metabolic process, Purine metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, which suggested that these biological processes may play a crucial role in the heterosis of B. rapa. The analysis of 3D genome data revealed that hybrid F1 tend to contain more transcriptionally active A compartments after hybridization. Additionally, F1 had a smaller TAD (topologically associated domain) genome length, but the number was the highest, and the expression change of activated TAD was higher than repressed TAD. More specific TAD boundaries were detected between parents and F1. Subsequently, 140 DEGs with genomic structural variants were selected as potential candidate genes. Among them, we found two DEGs with consistent expression changes in A/B compartments and TADs. Our findings suggest that genomic structural variants, such as TADs and A/B compartments, may affect gene expression and contribute to heterosis in B. rapa. This study provides further insight into the molecular mechanism of heterosis in B. rapa.

To investigate the effect of montmorillonite on nonylphenol enrichment in a zebrafish model. The AB strain zebrafish were used as the animal subjects and three concentration gradients were set for both nonylphenol and montmorillonite, according to their actual concentrations in aquaculture water in Huzhou city. A group treated with nonylphenol alone was also set, adding up to 12 experimental groups. Concentrations of nonylphenol enriched in the liver, muscle, and gill of zebrafish were detected by solid phase microextraction–high performance liquid chromatography at Day 7, 15, and 30, respectively. Besides, the relative enzymatic activity of Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the Glutathione S-transferase (GST) were also been detected, and the data were statistically analyzed. The results showed that the concentrations of nonylphenol in zebrafish peaked at Day 7 and gradually decreased afterwards for all the experimental groups. And the montmorillonite reduces short-term accumulation of nonylphenol in gills, and the high concentration of nonylphenol facilitates its enrichment in liver and muscle while the low concentration of nonylphenol doesn’t. Meanwhile, the low concentration of nonylphenol in liver exerts an influence on the inductive effect of SOD and GST while the high concentration of nonylphenol shows the inhibiting effect of SOD and GST.

This paper uses panel data to find the determinants of tracking errors in exchange traded funds (ETFs) in the Hong Kong stock market. A comparison of tracking errors between physical and synthetic ETFs also indicates that the synthetic ETFs have higher tracking errors. The magnitude of tracking errors is found to be negatively related to size but positively related to dividend yield, trading volumes of funds, and market risk. However, this study also finds that expense ratio has a negative impact on tracking error, which is not consistent with previous studies, and which this paper addresses.

The co-occurrence of depression and obesity has become a significant public health concern worldwide. Recent studies have shown that metabolic dysfunction, which is commonly observed in obese individuals and characterized by inflammation, insulin resistance, leptin resistance, and hypertension, is a critical risk factor for depression. This dysfunction may induce structural and functional changes in the brain, ultimately contributing to depression's development. Given that obesity and depression mutually increase each other's risk of development by 50-60%, there is a need for effective interventions that address both conditions. The comorbidity of depression with obesity and metabolic dysregulation is thought to be related to chronic low-grade inflammation, characterized by increased circulating levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and C-reactive protein (CRP). As pharmacotherapy fails in at least 30-40% of cases to adequately treat major depressive disorder, a nutritional approach is emerging as a promising alternative. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) are a promising dietary intervention that can reduce inflammatory biomarkers, particularly in patients with high levels of inflammation, including pregnant women with gestational diabetes, patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and overweight individuals with major depressive disorder. Further effort directed to implement these strategies in clinical practice could contribute to improved outcomes in patients with depression and comorbid obesity and/or metabolic dysregulation.

This study aimed to develop extended–release tablets containing 25 mg IMM−H014, an original drug formulated by a direct powder pressing method based on pharmaceutical–grade hydrophilic matrix polymers, such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, to establish an in vitro−in vivo corre-lation (IVIVC) to predict bioavailability. The tablets’ mechanical properties and in vitro and in vivo performance were studied. The formulation was optimized using a single factor experiment and the reproducibility was confirmed. The in vitro dissolution profiles of the tablet were de-termined in five dissolution media, in which the drug released from the hydrophilic tablets fol-lowed Ritger–Peppas model kinetics in 0.01 N HCl medium for the first 2 h, and in phosphate buffer saline medium (pH 7.5) for further 24 h. Accelerated stability studies (40°C, 75% relative humidity) proved that the optimal formulation was stable for 6 months. The in vivo pharmaco-kinetics study in beagle dogs showed that compared to the IMM−H014 immediate release prep-aration, the maximum plasma concentration of the extended release (ER) preparation was sig-nificantly decreased, while the maximum time to peak and mean residence time were significantly prolonged. The relative bioavailability was 97.9% based on an area under curve, indicating that the optimal formulation has an obvious ER profile. And a good IVIVC was established, which could be used to predict in vivo pharmacokinetics from the formulation composition.

Background and Aims: The impact of antibody response after direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected recipients before and after liver transplantation (LT) is still undetermined. Methods: In this observational cohort study, we aimed to explore the association of changes in anti-HCV antibody titers after pre-LT DAA therapy with allograft injury, including biliary complications (BCs) and acute cellular rejection (ACR). Results: A total of 153 cases were enrolled from January 2015 to February 2021. Serum anti-HCV antibody titers were assessed before and after (day 30) LT. Among all recipients, 31/153 (20.3%) had pre-LT DAA therapy (DAA group) and 122/153 (79.7%) did not undergo pre-LT DAA therapy (DAA-naïve group). Higher incidence of post-LT BCs was observed in the DAA group (P = 0.028). Compared with the DAA-naïve group, the DAA group had a significantly higher mean level of anti-HCV titer upregulation (P = 0.0024); furthermore, among the recipients with BCs (n = 28) and ACR (n = 41), those in the DAA group exhibited significantly higher mean levels of anti-HCV antibody titer upregulation (P < 0.005). Conclusion: In conclusion, we speculated that anti-HCV antibody titer upregulation, which might have been induced by restoration of HCV-specific immune responses with pre-LT DAA therapy, were associated with post-LT allograft injury.

Simple summary: The noninvasive differentiation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) remains challenging. In recent years, the number of studies on the application of radiomics in liver cancer has grown dramatically. However, there have been very few studies on the differentiation of HCC from ICC based on multisequence magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a radiomic model based on preoperative fat suppression T2-weighted imaging (FS-T2WI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI features in the arterial phase (A) and portal venous phase (P) for the differentiation of HCC from ICC. Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics in differentiating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). The clinical and MRI data of 129 pathologically confirmed HCC cases and 48 ICC cases from April 2016 to December 2021 at the Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College were retrospectively analyzed. Included cases were randomly divided at a ratio of 7:3 into a training group of 124 cases (90 HCC cases and 34 ICC cases) and a validation group of 53 cases (39 HCC cases and 14 ICC cases). Radiomic features were extracted from axial fat-suppression T2-weighted imaging (FS-T2WI) and axial arterial-phase (A) and portal-venous-phase (P) dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI sequences, and the corresponding datasets were generated. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method was used to select the best radiomic features. Logistic regression was used to establish a radiomic model for each sequence (FS-T2WI, A, and P models) and a joint model (M model) integrating the radiomic features of all the sequences. The performance of each model was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The AUC of the FS-T2WI, A, P, and M models for distinguishing HCC from ICC was 0.693, 0.863, 0.818, and 0.914 in the training group and 0.690, 0.784, 0.727, and 0.802 in the validation group, respectively. The results of this study suggest that MRI-based radiomics may help noninvasively differentiate HCC from ICC. The model integrating the radiomic features of multiple sequences showed further improvement in performance.

This paper discusses a significant public-private partnership (PPP) formed by the government and Taiwanese Farmer Associations. Particularly, it will investigate a pattern of the PPP that has successfully promoted rural development and agricultural modernization in Taiwan since 1950s. Taiwanese Farmer Associations (hereafter TFAs), similar to agricultural cooperatives in South Korea and Japan, have played a policy agent in fostering rural development in this island state since 1950s. TFA’s performance inherently came from Japanese Cooperatives before World War II. The Performances of those farmer organizations are combinations of economic, social, and educational synergies. The rural development experiences in Taiwan demonstrate that success of rural modernization is carried out by a special public-private partnership (PPP). First, this paper discusses formation and development of farmer cooperative organizations in East Asian societies and compare the similarities and differences of practice of those organizations and their relations to the governments among Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. Secondly, this paper examines collaborative mold and process in which both the government and Taiwan Farmer Associations have been extensively involved. A specific cooperative apparatus between the government and TFA functioning and operating as a perfect PPP has been formed under administrative guidance of the state. Thirdly, this paper looks at input and various supports in financial and policy perspective by the public sector. Fourthly, the paper discusses legal framework, administrative apparatus, and governance pattern for TFA. Fifthly, the paper discuses that a specific PPP successfully involving in rural modernization in Taiwan is significantly derived from the state’ guidance that properly regulates a collaboration between the government and TFA. So-call East Asian model of PPP in agricultural modernization and rural community development may become a valuable experience for most of developing countries.

: In the automotive industry, high-strength plates have been increasingly used to reduce the vehicle body weight due to stringent regulations on fuel economy and safety. Such plates achieve tensile strengths as high as 1.5 GPa owing to the hot-stamping process. However, these plates suffer from scale generation and surface decarburization because of the surface oxidation of the material. Recently, studies on materials subjected to high-frequency induction heating have reported strength improvement owing to the coil shape and cooling method. This study presents the surface temperature changes, mechanical properties, and microstructures of boron steels subjected to longitudinal heating, which uses eddy currents generated from high-frequency induction heating. The surface temperature data were analyzed under different high-frequency induction heating powers (15, 18, 21, 24, 27, and 30 kW) and distances from the specimen (6, 9, and 15 mm). The mechanical properties and microstructures were also analyzed in different high-frequency induction heating coil directions. The correlations between the high-frequency induction heating power and the distance from the specimen with the maximum tensile strength were determined.

Hydrothermal carbonization of cellulose was examined at 240 ℃ for 1 h. Ammonium sulfate and thiourea were selected as the doping sources of inorganic nitrogen and organic nitrogen for the preparation of supercapacitor carbon. The effect of boric acid on the properties of the resulting hydrochar after KOH activation was examined. The results showed that the proportion of functional groups and the specific surface area of the activated hydrochar would be reduced after the addition of boric acid, and the pore-forming process of the micropores would be inhibited. The hydrochar obtained from the reaction of cellulose and organic nitrogen compounds had better pore size distribution and electrochemical properties after activation. The largest specific surface area (952.27 m2 g-1) was obtained when only thiourea was used as the only doping source. In the three-electrode system, the specific capacitance resulting activated hydrochar reached 236.25 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1. After 20,000 cycles of charging and discharging at a current density of 10 A g-1, the capacitance retention rate reached 99.96%. Therefore, this study proves that the supercapacitor carbon with good electrochemical properties could be obtained by the direct reaction of cellulose with organic nitrogen compounds.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) systems rely on semantic symmetry similarity measuring between two sentences. To address the challenges of insufficient training data and limited domain-specific understanding in low-resource FAQs, this paper proposes a general framework, PDAMF-FAQ, to solve these issues. Firstly, we propose a paraphrasing-based data augmentation model that integrates syntactic information and edit vectors. Using a rule-based approach, it retrieves template sentences from a corpus and masks relevant words with special characters. Edit vectors between the original and paraphrase sentences are added to a pre-trained model's encoding layer to enhance the model's ability to learn the differences between the original and reference paraphrase sentences. Additionally, this paper presents a mixed-feature semantic matching model based on SimBERT. The model extracts keyword features from the text, replacing these keywords with special characters to construct intent features. These intent features, along with the user question and keyword features, are then concatenated to form the model's input. Experiments were conducted respectively on the paraphrasing-based data augmentation model, mixed-feature semantic matching model and their comprehensive application in a low-resource domain-specific FAQ. The experimental results show that the proposed framework effectively improve the performance of domain-specific FAQ system.

Shear connectors are used in steel beam–concrete slabs of composite frame and bridge structures to transfer shear force according to design loads. The existing Y-type perfobond rib shear connectors are designed for girder slabs of composite bridges. Therefore, the rib and transverse rebars of the conventional Y-type perfobond rib shear connectors are extremely large for the composite frames of building structures. We performed push-out tests of stubby Y-type perfobond rib shear connectors for composite frames. These shear connectors have relatively small ribs than conventional Y-type perfobond rib shear connectors. To confirm the shear resistance of these stubby shear connectors, we performed an experiment by using transverse rebars D13 and D16. The results indicate that these shear connectors have suitable shear strength and ductility for application in composite frame structures. The shear strengths obtained using D13 and D16 were not significantly different. However, the ductility of the shear connectors with D16 was 45.1% higher than that of the shear connectors with D13.

With the advances in industry and commerce, passengers have become more accepting of environmental sustainability issues; thus, more people now choose to travel by bus. Government administration constitutes an important part of bus transportation services as the government gives the right-of-way to transportation companies allowing them to provide services. When these services are of poor quality, passengers may lodge complaints. The increase in consumer awareness and developments in wireless communication technologies have made it possible for passengers to easily and immediately submit complaints about transportation companies to government institutions, which has brought drastic changes to the supply-demand chain comprised of the public sector, transportation companies, and passengers. This study proposed the use of big data analysis technology including systematized case assignment and data visualization to improve management processes in the public sector and optimize customer complaint services. Taichung City, Taiwan was selected as the research area. There, the customer complaint management process in public sector was improved, effectively solving such issues as station-skipping, allowing the public sector to fully grasp the service level of transportation companies, improving the sustainability of bus operations, and supporting the sustainable development of the public sector-transportation company-passenger supply chain.

It is of great academic significance to understand how the atomic structure of interfaces and boundaries in materials impacts the magnetic coupling nature across the boundaries and encourage development of state-of-the-art magnetic devices. Here, we carry out a systematic investigation of the atomic and electronic structures of twin boundaries (TBs) in LiFe5O8 thin films and determine their concurrent magnetic couplings using atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy and atomistic first-principles calculations. The results show ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic coupling can exist across the different TBs in LiFe5O8 (LFO) thin films and electrical structures within a few atomic layers directly rely on the TB atomic core structures. Uncovering one-to-one relationship between the magnetic properties of individual TB and the local atomic structures will clarify a thorough comprehension of numerous fascinating magnetic properties of commonly utilized magnetic materials, which will undoubtedly encourage the progress of sophisticated magnetic materials and devices.

In this study, Brillouin optical time-domain analysis (BOTDA) sensing technology was utilized for monitoring settlement in a similarity model of a highway subgrade. As contact winding cannot be used for an optical fiber that is buried directly in soil, uncoupling between. the fiber and the soil can occur. Thus, an optical-fiber-embedded beam (OFEB) was developed, and a method for measuring and calculating the beam deformation was proposed. A calibration test and a test on a similarity model of a subgrade were carried out to investigate the applicability and monitoring accuracy of the OFEB. It was concluded that the OFEB can accurately measure beam deflection, where the maximum relative error between measurements by the optical fiber and a displacement transducer was approximately 5%. The OFEB was embedded directly into a similarity model of a subgrade to monitor settlement. The deflection deformation of the OFEB was found to be close to the subgrade settlement over a certain settlement range with a relative error below 8.1%. Thus, the OFEB can be used to realize measure large-range distributed settlement in a subgrade. A numerical simulation was performed to identify appropriate beam dimensions and material design parameters, thereby extending the measurement range before decoupling of the OFEB and soil occurs. The enhancement of the measurement range and accuracy of the OFEB based on the preliminary experiments carried out in this study enables further investigation of settlement monitoring.

This paper begins with an introduction to porcelain tiles. A review of the major scientific and technological features of the mullite−based porcelain tile (MPT) and anorthite−based porcelain tile (APT), focusing primarily on the raw material, processing, phase evolution and mechanical behavior, is then presented. Based on the porcelain tile firing behavior and a series of physical and chemical changes that can occur, a comprehensive comparison is described. In the last part, the prospects for further developments related to MPT and APT are discussed.

(1) Background: The CEO message of hospital homepage contain various contents such as the hospital's future vision, promises with customers, upgraded services and public activities. The CEO’s message of the homepage includes non-financial information as well as financial information of corporates. Also, it provides useful information for not only company's goals and vision but also firm performance and strategies for the future. This study aims to investigate associations between CEO’s message of hospitals homepages and financial status. We used the balanced scorecard frame to analyze what content on the hospital's homepage is related to the hospital's various financial ratios. (2) Methods: We adopt a text mining method to extract significantly repeated keywords from the CEO’s message of hospital website. And we classify these keywords by a balanced scorecard frame. To examine the relationship between keywords of CEO’s message of the hospital homepage and hospital’s financial ratio, T-test is conducted for the difference in the TF-IDF (Term Frequency is Divided by Inverse Document Frequency) mean of the home page contents and its relationship with the views of the balanced scorecard framework. (3) Results: According to empirical results on 65 samples collected from local hospitals, there are some significant relationship between the qualitative content of the hospital's homepage and the quantitative financial ratio that indicates profitability, activity, leverage, liquidity, and transfer to essential business fund (EBF) income. (4) Conclusions: The introduction section of a homepage is most accessible to customers, containing the aims and ideals of hospitals and reflecting their values and visions [1]. In addition, in view of financial status, they can either emphasize financial strength or focus on other areas to mask weakness of financial information. This study reminds us of the importance of hospital website’s disclosure, and it can be inferred from the financial status of the hospital. It also highlights the need for harmonization between quantitative data, financial statements, and qualitative data, CEO’s messages. (5) Implications: To our best knowledge, this paper is the first research attempting to investigate the relation between text of hospital homepage and financial ratio of hospital through text mining technique and balanced scorecard frame. Hospitals take a crucial part in a country’s welfare and healthcare backbone industry. Nevertheless, in many countries, hospital organization sectors tend to remain a source of critical fiscal deficits due to its ineffective and sloppy management. We expect that the result of this paper can provide hospital managers to useful information.

The aim of this study is to investigate, by means of experimental measurements and full-wave simulations, the dominant factors for the very high-resolution (VHR) radar image speckles from exponential correlated rough surfaces. A Ka-band radar system was used to collect the return signal from such a surface sample fabricated by 3D printing, and that signal was further processed into images at different resolution scales, where the image samples were obtained by horizontally turning around the surface sample. To cross-validate the results and to further discuss the VHR speckle properties, full wave simulations by full 3D Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method were conducted with 1600 realizations for the speckle analysis. At the considered very high resolution, speckle statistics show divergence from the fully developed Rayleigh distribution. The factors that impact on the high-resolution speckle properties from exponential correlated rough surface, are analyzed in views of the equivalent number of scatterers theory and scattering scales, respectively. From the data results and extended discussions, it is evident that both of the above factors matter for VHR speckle of backscattering, from the exponential correlated rough surface as a good representative for the ground surface.

Oriental lacquer, a natural and renewable polymeric coating, comes from the sap produced by lacquer trees. For practical application, oriental lacquer must be refined to reduce excess water and enhance its quality. In this study, drying oils were blended with oriental lacquer during the refining process to prepare an oil-modified refined lacquer (OMRL). The type and adding amount (0, 10, and 20% by wt.) of drying oils for wood coatings utilization were evaluated. Rhus succedanea oriental lacquer is composed of 54.1% urushiols, 34.3% water, 7.2% plant gum, and 4.4% nitrogenous compounds, and drying oils, including tung oil (TO), linseed oil (LO), and dehydrated castor oil (DCO) were used as materials in this study. The results show that the drying oil acts as a diluent, which reduces the viscosity and enhances the workability and could shorten the touch-free drying time and speed up the hardened drying of the OMRL. The results also indicate that the hardness, mass retention, Tg, tensile strength, abrasion resistance, and lightfastness of OMRL films decrease as more drying oils are blended. Conversely, the bending resistance, elongation at break, impact resistance increase, and particularly, the gloss, is greatly improved through the blending of more drying oils. In conclusion, the LO-modified refined lacquer (RL) has the highest film gloss and the DCO-modified RL has the shortest drying time for coating; otherwise, the film properties are similar among the three types of drying oil.

Corrosive burns lead to progressive esophageal stricture and dysphagia. There are many trials to prevent Esophageal stricture formation after corrosive burn. This study aimed to access the effects of EW-7197 on prevention for esophageal stricture formation after corrosive esophageal burn. animal study were classified divided into three groups: a healthy group, a control group (corrosive burn without EW-7197), and a treatment group (corrosive burn with EW-7197). Corrosive esophageal burns were produced using 30% NaOH on the lower esophagus. For 3 weeks, the control group received vehicle and the treatment group received 20 mg/kg/day EW-7197. Treatment efficacy was assessed by measuring the stenosis ratio by esophagogram with contrast media on day 21. histologic staining was performed to evaluate the fibrosis area ratio, and western blotting was performed to evaluate fibrotic markers. Among 20 rats that underwent surgery, 14 survived. Three in the treatment group died because of esophageal perforation, and three in the control group died due to their debilitating status. The esophageal stenosis ratio was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group (12.1 ± 9.5% and 42.2 ± 8.3%, respectively; p = 0.001). The histologic fibrosis area ratio was also significantly lower in the treatment group (12.5 ± 3.0% and 21.6 ± 2.1%, respectively; p = 0.001). The treatment group showed lower expressions of profibrogenic proteins such as TGF-β1, pSmad3, and α-SMA. EW-7197 may be a good alternative for the prevention esophageal stricture formation after corrosive burn.

The Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) model is widely used for evaluating agricultural conservation efforts and their effects on soil and water. A key component of APEX application in Korea is simulating water quality impacts of rice paddies because rice agriculture claims the largest cropland area in the country. In this study, a computational module called APEX-Paddy is developed to simulate water quality with considering pertinent paddy management practices such as puddling, flood irrigation management. Data collected at two experimental paddy sites in Korea were used to calibrate and validate the model. Results indicate that APEX-Paddy performs well in predicting runoff discharge rate and nitrogen yield while the original APEX highly overestimates runoff rates and nitrogen yields on large storm events. With APEX-Paddy, simulated and observed flow and mineral nitrogen yield (QN) are found to be highly correlated after calibration (Nash & Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) = 0.87 and Percent Bias (PBIAS) = −14.6% for flow; NSE = 0.68 and PBIAS = 2.1% for QN). Consequently, the APEX-Paddy showed a greater accuracy in flow and QN prediction than the original APEX modeling practice using the SCS-CN method.

Using lightweight fire-rated board (LFRB) presents cost-effective opportunities for various passive fire protection measures. The aim of the project is to develop a LFRB with enhanced fire resistance, acoustic properties, and mechanical properties. These properties were determined using the Bunsen burner, furnace, energy dispersive X-Ray, impedance tube instrument, and Instron universal testing machine. To fabricate the LFRBs, vermiculite and perlite were blended with flame-retardant bind-ers, and four types of LFRBs were produced. A fire test was conducted to compare the fire-resistance performance of the LFRBs with a commercially available flame retardant board. The B2 prototype showed exceptional fire-resistant properties, with a temperature reduction of up to 73.0 °C as compared to the commercially available fire-rated magnesium board. Incorporating nano chicken eggshell into the specially formulated flame-retardant binder preserved the LFRBs’ structural integrity, enabling them to withstand fire for up to 120 minutes with an equilibrium temperature of 92.6 °C. This approach also provided an absorption coefficient of α = 2.0, a high flexural strength of 3.54 MPa, and effective flame retardancy properties with a low oxygen/carbon ratio of 2.60. These results make the LFRBs valuable for passive fire protection applications in the construction and building materials industry.

Sustainable development advocates for an environmentally friendly and resource-saving approach, fostering a new quality of productivity that is green and sustainable, and achieving a sustainable development where the economy and the environment are in harmony. The paper is based on clarifying the effects of coordinated development between the economy and the environment, and by establishing an indicator system, applying a remote sensing ecological index, entropy weight method, gray relational degree model, and a coupling coordination model, the relationship of coordinated development of Ordos in 2016-2022 is analyzed from a spatial-temporal perspective. The results are as follows: ① The years of coordinated development between the ecological environment and the economy are in the majority, while the uncoordinated years are fewer. ② The level of coordinated development between the ecological environment and the economy in the various regions of Ordos has been increasing year by year, but it still remains at the barely coordinated and primary coordinated levels. ③ The types of coordinated development between the ecological environment and the economy in Ordos exhibit significant spatial differentiation in terms of spatial distribution and clustering.Therefore, it is necessary to formulate coordinated development policies and measures according to the constraining factors of different regions.

Aging is associated with an increasing dysfunction of key brain homeostasis mechanisms and represents the main risk factor across most neurodegenerative disorders. However, the degree of dysregulation and the affectation of specific pathways set apart normal aging from neurodegenerative disorders. In particular, the neuronal metabolism of catecholaminergic neurotransmitters appears to be a specifically sensitive pathway that is affected in different neurodegenerations. In humans, catecholaminergic neurons are characterized by an age-related accumulation of neuromelanin (NM), rendering the soma of the neurons black. This intracellular NM appears to serve as a very efficient quencher for toxic molecules. However, when a neuron degenerates, NM is released together with its load (many undegraded cellular components, transition metals, lipids, antibiotics) contributing to initiate and worsen an eventual immune response, exacerbating the oxidative stress, ultimately leading to the neurodegenerative process. This review focuses on the analysis of the role of NM in normal aging and catecholaminergic metabolism due to its capability as a pro-oxidant and other harmful molecules, versus its involvement in oxidative stress and aberrant immune response, which it is highly dependent on NM saturation state and its extracellular release.

This study investigates how customers’ technological readiness affects service quality and the adoption of self-service banking by developing an empirical model. The model was proposed to explore the relationships between technology readiness, self-service quality, and customer satisfaction. The hypotheses and stability of the model were tested using structural equation modeling. The findings revealed that technology readiness, including the optimism, innovation, and insecurity dimensions, had a significant positive impact on self-service quality. In addition, service quality fully mediated the relationship between technological readiness and customer satisfaction. These results suggest that when customers are ready to embrace and use new technology, their evaluation of service quality is high. Thus, bank managers should drive customer perceptions of the quality of self-service banking by improving their technological readiness through various measures. Furthermore, based on the mediating effect of self-service quality, banks must be aware that improving service quality can enhance customer satisfaction and maintain a competitive advantage.

In recent years, intelligent identification and prediction of ore deposits based on deep learning algorithm and image processing technology has gradually become one of the research frontiers in the field of geological and metallogenic prediction. However, this method also has many problems that need to be solved. For example, (1) very few trainable image samples containing mineral point labels; (2) The geological image features are small and irregular, and the image similarity is high; (3) It is difficult to calculate the influence of different geological prospecting factors on ore mineralization. Based on this, this paper constructs a deep learning network model Multiscale Feature Attention Framework (MFAF) based on geo-image data. The results show that MFCA-Net module in MFAF model can solve the problem of scarce mine label images to a certain extent. In addition, the channel attention mechanism SE-Net module can quantify the difference of influence of different source factors on mineralization. The prediction map is obtained by applying the MFAF model in the study of deposit identification and prediction in the research area of the southern section of Qin-hang metallogenic Belt. In the forecast map, many regions have high metallogenic potential. Through observation, it is found that the above predicted area covers 100% of the known ore deposits at present, which has a good prediction effect. Later, we can find out the specific reasons through field verification. The multi-scale feature fusion and attention mechanism MFA Framework in this paper can provide a new way of thinking for geologists in mineral exploration. The research of this paper also provides resource guarantee and technical support for the sustainable exploitation of mineral resources and the sustainable growth of society and economy.

Cymbidium faberi Rolfe is one of the traditional Chinese orchids with important ornamental value, and the cultivation of Cymbidium faberi Rolfe mutant strains with different appearances is essential to increase its economic value, but at present, the acquisition of Cymbidium faberi Rolfe mutant strains basically relies on natural mutation.The objectives of this research were to mutagenize Cymbidium faberi Rolfe protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) and shoots in vitro using sodium azide (NaN3), and to screen and evaluate mutants in mutagenized Cymbidium faberi Rolfe seedlings using morphological characteristics.Cymbidium faberi Rolfe PLBs and shoots were used as mutagenic materials, and co-cultivated in induced shoots growth medium with the addition of 0.0 (control), 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 mg/L and 0.0 (control), 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0, and 10.0 mg/L NaN3 to induce the mutations, and the mortality rates of the PLBs and shoots were increased with the increase of the NaN3 concentration.At 14 d of co-cultivation, PLBs and shoots were most efficiently mutagenized with 1.5 mg/L and 4.0 mg/L NaN3, respectively.After the explants were cultured for 3 months, changes in leaf and flower morphology were observed in some mutants: shorter and thicker leaves, shorter node length, reduced height, and mid-translucent leaves compared with controls; and some Cymbidium faberi Rolfe bloomed prematurely, with single flowers with large, thick petal sepals and small inflorescences, and colours include light green throughout, and a few with purple stamens.This suggests that NaN3 can effectively mutagenise Cymbidium faberi Rolfe PLBs and shoots to satisfy people's demand for Cymbidium faberi Rolfe's ornamental properties while increasing its economic value.

The increasing prevalence of obesity and sedentary lifestyles has led to an increased incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) worldwide. In Taiwan, middle-aged women are at a greater risk of MetS, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease than men are because they have more subcutaneous fat and larger waist circumferences compared to men with equal visceral fat levels. This study investigated the effects of calorie restriction supplemented with fish oil (CRF) in middle-aged women with MetS. For 12 weeks, 75 eligible participants were randomly assigned either calorie restriction (CR) or CRF. Both dietary intervention groups were further divided into two age groups: ≤45 and >45 years. The changes in MetS severity, inflammatory status, iron status, and red blood cell fatty acid profile were evaluated. Seventy-one participants completed the trial. Both dietary interventions significantly ameliorated MetS and improved the participants’ inflammatory status. CR significantly increased total iron binding capacity, whereas CRF increased hepcidin levels. Furthermore, CRF significantly increased the n-6/n-3 and arachidonic acid/docosahexaenoic acid ratios. In conclusion, CR and CRF improved the anthropometric and MetS characteristics of early-middle aged women, including body weight, blood glucose levels, triglyceride levels, as well as the scores for the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and quantitative insulin sensitivity cheque index. Dietary intervention was more effective in >45-year-old women than ≤45-year-old women.

Directed energy deposition (DED) is an efficient method to fabricate functionally graded materials (FGMs) with gradient composition and complex structures, allowing for local tailoring of properties instead of the costly need for extraneous welds and joints. In this study, a FGM from stainless steel to Inconel alloy was successfully fabricated using the powder-based laser DED. A very refined grain structure has been observed in at the composition with 75 wt.% Inconel alloy content, which also exhibits the highest (entropy). For the first time, the post heat treatments, microstructure and aging precipitation behaviors of FGMs were systematically studied via experimental characterization and computation, to elucidate their effects on the gradient smoothing and mechanical properties. The diffusion and segregation of Ni, Nb and Ti elements underly the transformation mechanism between Laves, δ, γ’ and γ’’ phases during precipitation. Homogenization on FGMs not only eliminates the heterogeneity inherited from the AM process, but also provides a practical way to smoothen the gradient on composition and microstructure for the eventual good gradient properties. It has a direct influence on the following precipitation behaviors in the FGM, which highly relies on the diffusion degree of the elements in the matrix and grain boundaries. The high-throughput thermodynamic modeling and kinetic modeling were exploited to evaluate the experimental microstructure and address computational uncertainty using different thermodynamic conditions and databases, which enables an accelerated design through local tailoring of process-structure-property relationships to develop new functional materials.

As an important civil and military infrastructure, airport runway pavement is faced up with threats from cluster munitions, since it is vulnerable to projectile impact with internal explosion. Aiming at the damage assessment of island airport runway pavement under impact, this work dealt with discrete modeling of rigid projectile penetration into concrete pavement and calcareous sand subgrade multi-layer structure. First, Discrete Element Method (DEM) is introduced to model concrete and calcareous sand granular material features like cohesive fracture and strain hardening due to compression, with mesoscale constitutive laws governing the normal and shear interactions between adjacent particles. Second, sequent DEM simulations of uniaxial and triaxial compression were performed to calibrate the DEM parameters for pavement concrete as well as subgrade calcareous sand. Piror to multi-layer structure investigations, penetration into sole concrete or calcareous sand is validated in terms of projectile deceleration and depth of penetration (DOP) with relative error

Accompanied by increasing population growth and urban sprawl, most coastal cities are unprecedentedly vulnerable to climate change and its impacts, such as sea level rise, increasing extreme storm events, and coastal flooding. Coastal resilience and sustainable development are antidotes to vulnerability; they aim to enhance the adaptive capability of absorbing disturbances and resisting uncertainty. This study explores building a quantitative assessment framework to measure resilience and provide an objective and comparable method to understand the strengths and weaknesses in a given region. The proposed 25 resilience indicators incorporate the aspects of essential livelihood protection, infrastructure and natural resource maintenance, emergency facilities and institutions, floodplain management regulations, and adaptive planning process. Each indicator is assigned the resilience quality that includes robustness, resourcefulness, redundancy, and rapidity. The aggregated resilience quality scoring reflects the systematic performance of the city to cope with the coastal hazards. The innovative part of this framework is combining hazard mitigation measures, climate adaptation strategies, and sustainable development goals together to achieve a comprehensive assessment method. In the case of New Haven, the resilience assessment is taken as a practical monitoring tool and decision-making support.

This study proposes an image recognition method to assist swine farm managers in collecting health data related to pig feeding and excretion. Analyzing the correlation between sow health data and indoor air quality in the pigsties revealed significant influences of air quality indicators on sow health. Increased levels of TVOC, CO2, and temperature were found to negatively affect feeding health, while increased temperature, humidity, and PM10 were found to negatively impact excretion health. These findings provide a basis for evaluating variables when constructing future sow disease prediction models. Analyzing the correlation between pig health status and air quality can help swine farm managers improve sow production environments, reduce disease risks, enhance production efficiency, and provide valuable insights for future research on disease prediction models.

Bone drilling is a common procedure used to create pilot holes for inserting screws to secure implants for fracture fixation. However, dis process can increase bone temperature, teh excessive heat can lead to cell death and thermal osteonecrosis, potentially causing early fixation failure or complications. We conducted a three-dimensional dynamic elastoplastic finite element model to evaluate teh propagation and distribution of heat during bone drilling and assess teh thermally TEMPeffected zone (TAZ) dat may lead to thermal necrosis. dis model investigates teh parameters influencing bone temperature during bone drilling, including drill diameter, rotational speed, feed force, and predrilled hole. Teh results indicate dat our FE model is sufficiently accurate in predicting teh temperature rise TEMPeffect during bone drilling. Teh maximum temperature decreases exponentially wif radial distance. When teh feed forces are 40 and 60 N, teh maximum temperature does not exceed 45 °C. However, wif feed forces of 10 and 20 N, both teh maximum temperature exceeds 45 °C wifin a radial distance of 0.2 mm, indicating a high-risk zone for potential thermal osteonecrosis. Wif teh two-stage drilling procedure, where a 2.5 mm pilot hole is pre-drilled, teh maximum temperature can be reduced by 14 °C. dis suggests dat higher feed force and rotational speed and/or using a two-stage drilling process could mitigate bone temperature elevation and reduce teh risk of thermal osteonecrosis during bone drilling.

This paper proposed a new evaluation model based on analytic hierarchy process to quantitatively evaluate the capability of multi-satellite cooperative remote sensing observation. The analytic hierarchical process model is a combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis of systematic decision analysis method. According to the objective of the remote sensing cooperative observation mission, we decompose the complex problem into several levels and a number of factors, compare and calculate various factors in pairs, and obtain the combination weights of different schemes. The model can be used to evaluate the observation capability of resource satellites. Taking the optical remote sensing satellites such as China’s resource satellite series and GF-4 as examples, this paper verifies and evaluates the model for three typical tasks: point target observation, regional target observation and moving target continuous observation. The results show that the model can provide quantitative reference and model support for comprehensive evaluation of the collaborative observation capability of remote sensing satellites.

This study evaluated the mechanical strengths of three types of orthodontic micro-implants by analyzing their structural configurations. Thirty micro-implants of three types (diameter 1.5 mm, Types A, B, C) were assessed. All micro-implants were manually driven into artificial bones at an 8-mm depth. The insertion torque (IT), pullout strength (PS), and gripping volume (GV) of each type were measured. Intergroup comparisons and intragroup correlation were investigated by statistical analysis. Type B had the greatest inner–outer diameter ratio (0.67), and Type A had the smallest (0.53). The IT of Type A (5.26 Ncm) was significantly (p = 0.038) lower than that of Type C (8.8 Ncm). There was no significant difference in the pullout strength (p = 0.868). The GV of Type A (9.7 mm3) was significant (p < 0.01) greater than Type C (8.4 mm3). Type C was significant (p < 0.01) greater than Type B (7.2 mm3). Spearman’s rho rank correlation test showed that PS of Type B was correlated significantly with GV. In conclusion, the design of thread and its GV were the important factors on the mechanical strengths of micro-implant.

The objective of this research is to establish a better understanding of the current landscape of digital learning research and sustainable development by using CiteSpace. First, we retrieved published publications from the Web of Science (2004–2022). Following that, we examined the primary research strengths and important subjects of digital learning from two perspectives: collaboration networks (including collaborative networks across countries, institutions, and authors) and co-citation networks. We examined the co-citation network from three perspectives: cluster analysis, the most active citers, top references. Furthermore, referenced journals, popular themes, and rising trends were examined. These findings indicate the primary study subjects in the field of digital learning, the most intriguing research literature, and each period's emerging research hotspots. Finally, we proposed further study ideas for future paths.

Background: We attempted to find if there were gender differences in different types of Negative life events and Suicidal ideation among Chinese adolescents, then analyze the relationship between different types of Negative life events and Suicidal ideation among these young students. Methods: Based on the data from 6 middle-schools and 3 universities in 3 cities of Western China, the gender difference in different types of Negative life events and Suicidal ideation and their related factors were investigated and analyzed in the study. Results: Gender differences were found during different types of Negative life events and Suicidal ideation; Negative life events could predict the intensity of Suicidal ideation by gender, to some specific types. Conclusions: Negative life events were proved to be risk factors of adolescents’ Suicidal ideation regardless of different gender stereotypes, but the specific classification of negative life events which had significant impact on adolescents’ Suicidal ideation also indicated significant gender divisions. For males, negative life events of punishment and adaptation had a significant and boosting impact on their Suicidal ideation, the higher the scores of punishment and adaptation negative life events had, the greater intensity of male adolescents were to have Suicidal ideation. Thus, the above two types of negative life events may be the main stressors predicting male adolescents' Suicidal ideation; For females, in addition to punishment, other types of negative life events all had significant impacts on their Suicidal ideation, which can be treated as the main stressors to trigger female adolescents' Suicidal ideation; Additionally, parents’ marital status of remarriage and divorce were proved to be significant indicators to adolescents’ Suicidal ideation, the age variable was proved to be strongly correlated with Suicidal ideation among female adolescents.

Although the neurofilament light chain (NfL) is used as a biomarker for neurodegenerative decline, its use in surgery- and anaesthesia-induced acute cognitive dysfunction remains controversial. We aimed to synthesise the evidence to explore the potential of NfL as an established biomarker for perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PND). We systematically searched the PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library electronic databases, and Cochrane Central Registry of Clinical Trials. Our results show that CSF NfL levels positively correlated with blood NfL levels (r = 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.42-0.77). The pooled standardised mean difference (SMD) showed a significantly higher preoperative CSF NfL levels (SMD = 0.27; 95% CI, 0.07-0.47) and both pre- and postoperative blood NfL levels (SMD = 0.53, 95% CI, 0.40-0.66 and SMD = 0.58, 95% CI, 0.43-0.73) in the postoperative delirium (POD) group. Postoperative blood NfL levels were significantly elevated in both POD group (SMD = 0.49; 95% CI, 0.34-0.64) and no-POD group (SMD = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.53-0.81). Our meta-analysis indicates that NfL may serve as a potential biomarker for POD, and elevated preoperative blood NfL levels could be a risk factor for POD. Further studies are needed to confirm the association of CSF/blood NfL levels with other PND types.

Objectives: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) negatively affects the quality of life and sexual function in women. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of radiofrequency (RF) therapy in reducing SUI symptoms and its impact on sexual function. Methods: Thirty-four women with SUI were enrolled and underwent a single RF treatment session using the Viveve® System (Viveve Medical Inc., USA) with parameters of 90 J/cm² and 220 pulses per hour. Assessments at baseline and 6 months post-treatment included perineal ultrasound and personal interviews to evaluate lower urinary tract symptoms and sexual function. Urodynamic studies, voiding diaries, and questionnaires such as the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Overactive Bladder Symp-tom Score (OABSS), Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 (UDI-6), Incontinence Impact Question-naire-7 (IIQ-7), and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) measured outcomes. Results: RF therapy significantly improved sexual function, with higher FSFI scores in all domains except pain at 6 months. SUI symptoms were significantly re-duced, as indicated by improved scores on OABSS, UDI-6, IIQ-7, and ICIQ-SF, alongside better voiding diary results. Anatomical changes included reduced bladder neck mobility, decreased vaginal width, and a reduced rotation angle of the proximal urethra. Conclusions: RF therapy is effective and safe for treating mild to moderate SUI and enhances sexual function, potentially due to changes in vaginal topography. These results suggest RF therapy as a viable non-surgical op-tion for managing SUI and improving sexual health.

Saline-alkaline aquaculture has become important breakthrough to expand available space for aquaculture in China. However, the biochemical composition and quality of Eriocheir sinensis reared in carbonate alkalinity water are still unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the edible yield, coloration, nutritional and flavor quality of Eriocheir sinensis. Significantly lower gona-dosomatic index (GSI) and meat yield (MY) were detected in intensive pond (IP) than those in semi intensive reed wetland (SIWR) (P< 0.05). Six color parameters differed between IP and SIRW in the hepatopancreas (P< 0.05). The contents of crude protein and fat in the female hepatopan-creas of IP were significantly higher than those in SIRW(P< 0.05). The higher concentrations of ∑MUFA, ∑EFA, h/H in the female edible tissues were checked in IP than those in SIRW, with significant difference including ∑MUFA in the hepatopancreas and ovary, ∑EFA in the muscle, and h/H in the ovary (P<0.05). Better total free amino acid (∑FAA) contents of muscle were de-tected in SIRW than that in IP. Significantly increasing tendency was detected in K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn of ovary from SIRW to IP (P< 0.05). Overall, the Eriocheir sinensis reared in carbonate alkalinity water is an important source of nutrient.

Epitaxial lithium ferrite (LiFe5O8) films with different thicknesses have been successfully fabricated on SrTiO3 (001) substrates by magnetron sputtering deposition technique. The microstructural and magnetic properties are characterized by advanced transmission electron microscope and magnetic measurement device. It was found that the formation of structural defects can be influenced by the thickness of the film. Apart from the misfit dislocations, the orientation domains form in thinner film and twin boundaries appear in thicker film, respectively, contributing to the misfit strain relaxation in the heterosystem. The magnetic measurement shows that the thinner films have enhanced magnetization and a relatively lower coercive field compared with the thicker films containing the antiferromagnetic twin boundaries. Our results provide a way for tuning the microstructure and magnetic properties of lithium ferrite films by changing the film thickness.

With the burgeoning growth of online retail, the issue of counterfeit products has become a significant threat to both consumer trust and brand integrity, posing challenges to sustainable market practices. Online retail platforms are promoted to redesign their channel structures and enhance brand traceability to tackle counterfeits using blockchain technology. To investigate the interactions between blockchain technology and the channel structures of online retail platforms, we design a game theory model incorporating a manufacturer with(out) blockchain participation selling products via an online retail platform that operates an agency channel and/or a reselling channel. We show that the critical trade-off of blockchain participation comprises the brand assurance effect of the blockchain, the channel competition intensification effect, and the blockchain adoption cost. The platform is capable of strategically designing the channel structure to encourage (while discouraging) blockchain participation by the manufacturer. Our analysis highlights the complementarity between blockchain participation and the channel structure. Furthermore, the effect of the consumer’s belief in the reselling channel, the commission fee in the agency channel, and the substitutability between channels are investigated in depth. The research provides valuable insights for online retail platforms and policymakers seeking to foster a sustainable and trustworthy e-commerce ecosystem.

Surface finishing is challenging for additively manufactured components with complex geometries. Magnetic abrasive finishing (MAF) is a promising surface finishing technology that can refine the surface quality of components with complex shapes produced by additive manufacturing. However, there is insufficient study regarding the impact of MAF on microstructure-property relationships for additively manufactured builds, which is critical for evaluating the mechanical performance. Furthermore, although MAF is usually used as the final step of post-processing, it remains unclear whether adjusting the sequence between MAF and other processes, e.g., heat treatment, can potentially improve the mechanical performance. In this work, the effects of MAF on the microstructure and mechanical property evolution of Inconel 718 superalloys made by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) were studied. The application of MAF was found to significantly reduce the surface roughness of alloys and refine the grain size of aged samples. Moreover, MAF is able to increase the elongation of materials, which can be further influenced by the sequence of MAF and different heat treatments. The highest elongation can be achieved when MAF is performed between homogenization and aging processes. This work demonstrated a promising solution to improving the performance of LPBF Inconel 718 by combining MAF and heat treatment, which provides new perspectives on the post-processing development of additively manufactured alloys for advanced mechanical properties.

The paper examines the various uncertainties encountered in high-frequency trading (HFT) environments and delves into the multiple challenges faced by HFT firms in navigating the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (referred to as the "Dodd-Frank Act"), particularly during the initial stages of its enactment. These challenges include the ambiguity surrounding the definition of HFT, the lack of clarity regarding regulatory requirements and boundaries, inconsistencies in enforcement resulting from deviations in understanding the content, and the absence of detailed descriptions of the Act’s provisions. These hurdles significantly impact not only the daily operations of HFT firms but also pose higher demands on their long-term strategic planning and risk management. Drawing upon the Data, Information, Knowledge, Wisdom, and Purpose (DIKWP) model, this study employs an innovative analytical framework. Through the comprehensive application of conceptual space, cognitive space, and semantic space, it provides a systematic methodology for identifying and analyzing the aforementioned issues. This approach not only aids firms in better comprehending and adhering to complex regulatory requirements but also enables them to explore new business opportunities and competitive advantages while ensuring compliance.

End-to-end learned image compression codecs have notably emerged in recent years. These codecs have demonstrated superiority over conventional methods, showcasing remarkable flexibility and adaptability across diverse data domains while supporting new distortion losses. Despite challenges such as computational complexity, learned image compression methods inherently align with learning-based data processing and analytic pipelines due to their well-suited internal representations. The concept of Video Coding for Machines has garnered significant attention from both academic researchers and industry practitioners. This concept reflects the growing need to integrate data compression with computer vision applications. In light of these developments, we present a comprehensive survey and review of lossy image compression methods. Additionally, we provide a concise overview of two prominent international standards, MPEG Video Coding for Machines and JPEG AI. These standards are designed to bridge the gap between data compression and computer vision, catering to practical industry use cases.

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a cholestatic liver disease characterized by immune-mediated injury to small bile ducts. Although PBC is an autoimmune disease, the results of traditional immunosuppressive therapy are disappointing. Nearly 40% of PBC patients do not respond to the first-line drug UDCA. Without appropriate intervention, PBC patients would eventually progress to liver cirrhosis and even death. There is an urgent need to develop new therapies. The gut-liver axis emphasizes the interconnection between the gut and the liver, and there is increasing evidence that gut microbiota and bile acids play an important role in cholestatic diseases. Dysbiosis of gut microbiota, imbalance of bile acids, and immune-mediated bile duct injury constitute the triad of pathophysiology in PBC. Understanding the gut microbiota-bile acid network and corresponding immune functions in PBC provides a new perspective for its treatment strategies. Therefore, we summarize the latest advancements in research of gut microbiota and bile acids in PBC and, for the first time, explore the potential of immune factors related to them as novel immunotherapy targets. This article discusses potential therapeutic approaches focusing on regulating gut microbiota, maintaining bile acid homeostasis, their interactions, and related immune factors.

This project designed a set of network security mechanisms for cloud applications in VANETs. At present, cloud computing is one of the government’s development priorities in the industry. We divide cloud into public, private, and hybrid clouds in this project. Vehicles or passengers can access road conditions or public transport information through the public cloud; public transportation can access current driving records and users can access relevant enterprise information on the private cloud and hybrid cloud is a combination of public and private clouds. Both cloud computing or VANETs require network and information security. At present, many researches on VANETs security only focus on message communication, and neglect information storage. Researches on cloud computing security only focus on information protection, and neglect user privacy and anonymity. This project designed a set of network and information security mechanisms in line with the requirements of Confidentiality, Authentication, Non-repudiation, Conditional Anonymity, and Conditional Untraceability. This project primarily needs to achieve the following: 1.an authentication mechanism to verify the identity of each other between the passenger and the vehicle and to verify the identity with Single Sign-On; 2. vehicle or user privacy and anonymity, which need to be able to replace the anonymous ID and related parameters for the vehicle or the user; 3. a private communication mechanism, which enables any vehicle or user to communicate privately; and 4. an information security encryption method, which can encrypt the information on a cloud server to avoid unauthorized access by internal personnel or hackers.

Metabolites present in the hemolymph of honey bees play a crucial role in modulating the metamorphic process within the species. However, the precise alterations in metabolite composition, along with the associated variances and regulatory pathways implicated during the larvae-to-pupae metamorphosis of honey bees, remain incompletely elucidated. In this investigation, we gathered hemolymph samples from honey bee larvae at three distinct physiological stages-feeding, prepupal, and pupae and subjected them to metabolite analysis utilizing the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technique. Employing principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), we identified significant differential metabolites and conducted a metabolic pathway analysis on those differentially up-regulated during the prepupal and pupae stages. Notably, metabolites up-regulated in the hemolymph of prepupal stage larvae primarily governed glucose metabolism and fat digestion and absorption, while those in pupae stage larvae were involved in regulating chitin and lipopolysaccharide precursor formation, as well as the biosynthesis of phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. These findings bear significant implications for advancing our comprehension of the metamorphic processes in honey bees.

While being a workaholic supervisor may be viewed as admirable due to their commitment to work, existing findings on its effects on subordinates are mixed. Drawing upon the principle learning perspective and activation theory, we propose a curvilinear relationship between supervisor workaholism and subordinate job performance and investigate the moderating role of subordinate social-related social media usage. Specifically, we suggest that subordinate job performance increases (decreases) as supervisor workaholism increases from low (moderate) to moderate (high) levels and that this inverted U-shaped relationship becomes flatter when subordinates have higher social-related social media usage. The results, based on a multi-source survey collected from 321 supervisor-subordinate dyads, support the predictions. Our research moves beyond linear thinking and suggests that there exists an optimal level of supervisor workaholism that maximizes subordinate job performance. We also provide insights into the ongoing debate and potential ethical concerns surrounding whether employees should use social media at work. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Effect of abrasive shape on the three-body abrasion behaviors of monocrystalline silicon was investigated by Molecular dynamics modelling. The axial ratio of abrasive particle was varied from 1.00, i.e., a complete sphere, to 0.40 to mimic abrasive shape. The particle’s movement turns toward sliding from rolling when the axial ratio becomes less than a critical value 0.46. In the abrasion process, the friction force and normal force showed an approximately sinusoid-like fluctuation for the rolling ellipsoidal particles, while the front cutting of particle caused that friction force increased and became larger than normal force for sliding particles. The phase transformation process was tracked under different particle’ movement patterns. The Si-II and Bct5 phase producing in loading process can partially transform to Si-III/Si-XII phase and backtrack to original crystal silicon under pressure release, which also occurred in the abrasion process. The secondary phase transformation showed difference for particles’ rolling and sliding movements after three-body abrasion. The rolling of particle induced the periodical and inhomogeneous deformation of substrates, while the sliding benefited producing high-quality surface in CMP process. This study aiming to construct more precise model to understand the wear mechanism benefits evaluating the MEMS wear and CMP process of crystal materials.

Changing the film thickness to manipulate the microstructural properties has been considered as a potential method in practical application. Here, we report that atomic-scale structural properties regulated by film thickness in NiCO2O4(NCO)/CuFe2O4(CFO) bilayer heterostructure prepared on (001)-MgAl2O4 (MAO) substrate by means of aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The misfit dislocations at NCO/CFO interface and antiphase boundaries (APBs) bound to dislocations within the films both are found in NCO (40 nm)/CFO (40 nm)/MAO heterostructure to contribute to relaxation of mismatch lattice strain. In addition, the non-overlapping a/4[101]-APB is found and the structural transformation of this kind of APB is resolved at atomic scale. In contrast, only the interfacial dislocations form at interface without the formation of APBs within the films in NCO (10 nm)/CFO (40 nm)/MAO heterostructure. Our results provide evidence that formation of microstructural defects can be regulated by changing film thickness to tune magnetic properties of epitaxial bilayer spinel oxide films.

Abstract—Online learning platforms provide diverse course resources, but this often result in the issue of information overload. Learners always want to learn courses that are appropriate for their knowledge level and preferences quickly and accurately. Effective course recommendation plays a key role in helping learners select appropriate courses and improving the efficiency of online learning. However, when a user is enrolled in multiple courses, Existing course recommendation methods face the challenge in accurately recommending the target course that is most relevant to the user, because of the noise courses. In this paper, we propose a novel reinforcement learning model named Actor-Critic Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning (ACHRL). The model incorporates the Actor-Critic method to construct the profile reviser. This can remove noise courses and make personalized course recommendation effectively. Furthermore, we propose a policy gradient based on temporal difference error to reduce the variance in the training process, to speed up the convergence of the model, and improves the accuracy of the recommendation. We evaluate the proposed model on two real datasets, and the experimental results show that the proposed model is significantly outperforms the existing recommendation models (improving 3.77% to 13.66% in terms of HR@5).

According to the development needs of marine seismic station networking, it is necessary to develop a marine seismometer with a networking function to realize quasi-real-time and large-scale long-term observation of undersea seismic signals. This can lay a solid foundation for marine seismic research and research on earth tectonics, activities, and processes. Based on the advantages and disadvantages of the existing observation equipment, this study proposed to develop a new type of the Autonomous Glide Marine Seismometer(AGMS) that can be applied to the global sea area, focusing on the design and study of the main structure of the carrier of the AGMS. The ultimate strength of the ellipsoidal pressure-resistant spherical shell is investigated by using the finite element analysis method. A reasonable finite element analysis model is proposed through comparing the finite element parameter results with the theoretical formulas and relevant specifications. Finally, the design process and strength checking of the pressure-resistant shell of the AGMS are established. These relevant results can also provide a reference for the design of other deep-sea pressure-resistant chambers.

To investigate the photosynthetic change characteristics of mango leaves under enhanced UV-B radiation, adult ‘Tainong No. 1’ mango (Mangifera indica) trees were treated (N=nine individuals) with simulated enhanced UV-B radiation [24 and 96 kJ/(m2·d)] in the field, and the photochemical reactions, activities of key enzymes in carbon assimilation, and the expression of genes were observed. The results showed that compared with the control, there was a decrease in tree yield and nutritional flavor quality of the fruits under the 96 kJ/(m2·d) treatment, while no significant changes were observed under 24 kJ/(m2·d). After 20 or 40 days, leaves’ net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Sc), transpiration rate (Tr), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), and chlorophyll a/b under exposure to 96 kJ/(m2·d) of UV-B were significantly lower than in the control, whereas chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids, Hill reaction activity, photochemical quenching coefficient (qP), and Rubisco activities were significantly higher. By contrast, the Hill activity and Rubisco activity under 24 kJ/(m2·d) were significantly higher than the control, while Pn, Sc, Tr, Ci, and the content of photosynthetic pigments were similar to the control. The expression of gene coding the Rubisco big subunit (rbcL) was inhibited by the 96 kJ/(m2·d) treatment. We conclude that stomatal limitation was directly induced by 96 kJ/(m2·d), resulting in the inhibition of photosynthesis and the reduction in yield and deterioration of the quality of mango.

The Station logo is a way for a TV station to claim copyright, which can realize the analysis and understanding of the video by the identification of the station logo, so as to ensure that the broadcasted TV signal will not be illegally interfered. In this paper, we design a station logo detection method based on Convolutional Neural Network by the characteristics of the station, such as small scale-to-height ratio change and relatively fixed position. Firstly, in order to realize the preprocessing and feature extraction of the station data, the video samples are collected, filtered, framed, labeled and processed. Then, the training sample data and the test sample data are divided proportionally to train the station detection model. Finally, the sample is tested to evaluate the effect of the training model in practice. The simulation experiments prove its validity.

Due to its spatio-temporal variability, the mismatch between the weather and demand patterns challenges the design of highly renewable energy systems. A principal component analysis is applied to a simplified networked European electricity system with a high share of wind and solar power generation. It reveals a small number of important mismatch patterns, which explain most of the system's required backup and transmission infrastructure. Whereas the first principal component is already able to reproduce most of the temporal mismatch variability for a solar dominated system, a few more principal components are needed for a wind dominated system. Due to its monopole structure the first principal component causes most of the system's backup infrastructure. The next few principal components have a dipole structure and dominate the transmission infrastructure of the renewable electricity network.

Chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients have very high cardiovascular risk. Acute vascular changes during dialysis mediated by factors of the endothelium may have a crucial role in this. Aim: To study acute vascular changes during HD. In 29 consecutive chronic HD patients (age: 65.6±10.4 years) pre-, mid-, and post-HD plasma syndecan-1 (SDC-1) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels were measured. Applanation tonometry was performed before HD. SDC-1 levels increased during HD (p=0.004). Males had higher ET-1 levels. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on pulse wave velocity (PWV): PWV≥12 m/s and PWV<12 m/s. Pre-HD and mid-HD SDC-1 levels were higher in the group with PWV≥12 m/s (10.174±2.568 vs. 7.928±1.794 ng/ml, p=0.013, and 10.319±3.482 vs. 8.248±1.793 ng/ml, p=0.044, respectively). Post-HD ET-1 levels were higher in the patient group having PWV≥12 m/s (10.88±3.00 vs. 8.05±3.48 pg/l, p=0.027). Patients having PWV≥12 m/s had higher pre-HD peripheral and aortic systolic blood pressure (p<0.05). Total cholesterol correlated with the SDC-1 decrease during HD (r=0.539; p=0.008). Pre-, mid-, and post-HD SDC-1 correlated with the ultrafiltration (r=0.432, p=0.019; r=0.377, p=0.044; and r=0.401, p=0.012, respectively). SDC-1 and ET-1 contribute to vascular changes observed during HD, and they have correlations with some cardiovascular risk factors.

The continuous casting process of helical fiber reinforced metal matrix composites was proposed, and the experimental equipment was designed and manufactured. The relationship model be-tween the process parameters and the helical shape of the fibers in the metal matrix is analyzed by differential geometry. Helical carbon fiber reinforced lead matrix composites were prepared under different conditions. When the melting temperature and cooling intensity were increased, the helical radius of helical carbon fiber in lead matrix was increased. When the fiber rotation speed was increased, the helical radius was decreased, and the helical pitch was de-creased proportionally. The experimental results are consistent with the process model. Carbon fiber rein-forced aluminum composites were prepared. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the infiltration between the aluminum matrix and the carbon fiber was not complete. As the volume fraction of carbon fiber which was added in composites is too small, the mechanical properties of the composites have not been significantly improved.

Natural products are an important source of antibacterial agents. Canthin-6-one alkaloids have displayed potential antibacterial activity based on our previous work. In order to improve the activity, twenty-two new 3-N-benzylated 10-methoxy canthin-6-ones were designed and synthesized through quaternization reaction. The in vitro antibacterial activity against three bacteria was evaluated by double dilution method. Four compounds (6f, 6i, 6p and 6t) displayed 2-fold superiority (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) = 3.91 µg/mL) against agricultural pathogenic bacteria R. solanacearum and P. syringae than agrochemical propineb. Moreover, the structure–activity relationships (SARs) were also carefully summarized in order to guide the development of antibacterial canthin-6-one agents.

The incidence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) has been increasing considerably annually since being first reported in 2008. Gyeonggi Province has the largest number of healthcare facilities in South Korea, which contribute to its regional vulnerability to CRE infections. Thus, there is a need to obtain up to date information on the occurrence of CRE infections in the Gyeonggi Province to take corrective measures. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the overall trends of CRE occurrence in Gyeonggi Province over the past 4 years and the epidemiological characteristics of CRE-related mortality. Patients admitted to a healthcare facility in Gyeonggi Province from January 2018 to December 2021 with positive blood cultures to CRE were included in the study and investigated. Additionally, the risk factors for CRE-related death were determined using data from CRE-positive patients who died within 30 days of last blood sampling. Older adults aged 70 and over accounted for the highest percentage of both survivors and non-survivors with CRE bacteremia. The number of non-survivors was higher in tertiary hospitals and among patients in intensive care unit. There were no significant differences in the mortality risk according to the use of antibiotics. Moreover, non-survivors were predominant among patients with hypertension, malignant tumor, and those having two or more underlying diseases. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common CRE strain in both survivors and non-survivors. Among the survivors, carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae was detected in 151 cases (71.2%) and 49 cases (23.1%) in the KPC and NDM groups, respectively. Among the non-survivors, it was detected in 25 cases (86.2%) and 5 cases (17.2%) in the KPC and NDM groups, respectively. The endemicity of CRE in South Korea has been proposed for several years; our results have suggested endemicity of CRE in the Gyeonggi Province. Despite the strengthened infection control policies in healthcare facilities during the pandemic, there has been an increasing trend in the isolation of CRE strains in South Korean long-term care hospitals and hospitals within Gyeonggi Province. Factors such as history of hospitalization and underlying diseases have been identified as risk factors for CRE-related deaths. However, to address this issue strictly, it is important to establish infection control infrastructure tailored based on each type of healthcare facility, and elaborate specific government support measures, accordingly.

Rose (Rosa spp.), especially R. hybrida, is one of the most popular ornamental plants in the world and the third largest cut flower crop in Taiwan. Rose mosaic disease (RMD), showing mosaic, line patterns and ringspots on leaves, is a common rose disease caused by complex infection of various viruses. Due to pests and diseases, the rose planting area in Taiwan has been decreasing since 2008; however, no rose virus disease has been reported in the past five decades. In the spring of 2020, rose samples showing RMD-like symptoms were observed at an organic farm in Chiayi, central Taiwan. The virome in the farm was analyzed by RNA-seq. Rose genomic sequences were filtered from the obtained reads. The remaining reads were de novo assembled to generate 294 contigs, 50 of which were annotated as viral sequences corresponding to 10 viruses. Through reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction validation, a total of seven viruses were detected, including six known rose viruses, namely apple mosaic virus, prunus necrotic ringspot virus, rose partitivirus, apple stem grooving virus, rose spring dwarf-associated virus and rose cryptic virus 1, and a novel ilarvirus. After completing the whole genome sequencing and sequence analysis, the unknown ilarvirus was demonstrated as a new species, tentatively named rose ilarvirus 2. This is the first report of the rose viruses in Taiwan.

This paper systematically discusses the application of reinforcement learning in automatic driving system. Reinforcement learning frameworks show significant advantages in optimizing decision making, predictive perception, path planning, and controller design, exceeding the limitations of traditional supervised learning methods. The paper highlights the critical role of components such as scene understanding, positioning, and map making in autonomous driving systems, which provide reliable environmental awareness through deep learning and sensor fusion technologies to support intelligent decision-making in complex urban environments. In addition, the paper discusses innovative approaches to safety reinforcement learning to reduce risk in autonomous driving and ensure that systems adhere strictly to safety constraints while maximizing expected rewards. These findings provide an important theoretical and practical basis for further improving algorithm robustness, managing multi-agent interactions, and integrating ethical considerations in the future.

Vibration problems have become one of the most important factors affecting robot performance. To this end, a terminal residual vibration suppression method based on joint trajectory optimization is proposed to improve the accuracy and stability of robot motion. Firstly, based on the characteristics of the friction nonlinearity due to joint coupling and physical feasibility of dynamic parameters, a semidefinite programming method is used to identify dynamic parameters with actual physical meaning, thereby obtaining an accurate dynamic model. Then, based on the result of the residual vibration time domain analysis, a joint trajectory optimization model with the goal of minimizing joint tracking error is established. The Chebyshev collocation method is used to discretize the optimization model. The dynamic model is used as the optimization constraint, and barycentric interpolation is used to obtain the optimized joint motion trajectory. Finally, industrial robot experiments prove that the vibration suppression method proposed in this article can reduce the maximum acceleration amplitude of residual vibration by 62% and the vibration duration by 71%. Compared with the input shaping method, the method proposed in this paper can reduce the terminal residual vibration more effectively and ensure the consistency of running time and trajectory.

The impact of antecedent soil moisture content on soil erosion is a complicated phenomenon, which is still under argument with contradictions in research results. Hence, the objective of this study is to investigate the impact of antecedent soil moisture content to soil loss on clay soil by conducting two-year field experiments under natural rainfall on runoff plots with length of 10 meters, width of 3 meters, and uniform slope of 9%. Volumetric soil moisture sensors were used to log soil moisture changes, and soil moisture readings were used along with rainfall records to quantify the antecedent soil moisture conditions for each rainfall event. Results of this study show duration of the effective erosion event outranks the antecedent volumetric soil moisture content. Field study also suggests that accumulative rain falling within 48 hours (Pp48) prior to an effective erosion event strongly correlated with soil loss per Rainfall-Runoff Erosivity Index (Soil Loss / EI30), particularly when the duration of an effective erosion event is either between 3 ~ 7 hours or 10~ 30 hours. Hence, Pp48 can be considered as an alternative to replace antecedent soil moisture content in RUSLE 2’s cover and management factor.

Based on the dynamic strength variation mechanism of concrete under complex loading conditions, two approaches were devised: numerical testing and CT scanning, guided by the principle of minimizing energy dissipation. A methodology for calculating concrete's failure area and measuring its strength was developed. The analysis delves into the mechanisms behind failure patterns and variations in concrete specimen strength, focusing on crack initiation, development, and the resultant failure surface formed by crack propagation, along with the stress distribution in concrete specimens subjected to diverse loading conditions. Through evaluating the strength and computed failure area of concrete specimens, it is evident that the loading method influences both the strength and failure area of concrete specimens. In general, a larger failure area correlates with a higher measured strength.

To solve the problem of low efficiency of source seeking in implicit information field, this paper presents an autonomous souring method based on balanced searching strategy is enlighten by biological homing behaviors. At the beginning of the research, the source seeking task come down to a multi-objective convergence issue. By taking the feasibility search behaviors as the individual sample of the evolutionary population drawing on the thought of evolutionary algorithms, then combine motion searching with population evolution, so the carrier can be guide to complete source seeking task by solving the multi-objective problem. Furthermore, the distribution entropy is also considerated d to measure the searching bias in the process of source seeking. Combined with the demand of the source seeking process, a new source seeking method of balanced searching strategy is designed. Ultimately, through theoretical analysis and simulation verification confirm the effectiveness and rationality of the proposed method.

The electronic structural evolution of LLM-105 crystal and the (101) plane of LLM-105 crystal under different pressures is investigated by the density functional theory (DFT) calculations and the surface properties of seven low-Miller-index planes of LLM-105 crystal were investigated in this study. The result demonstrates that the surface energy of (101) plane of LLM-105 is much smaller when compared with other low-Miller-index planes of LLM-105.In order to further investigate the stability of crystal structure and (101) plane of LLM-105 under different pressures, a series of pressures ranged from 0 GPa to 55 GPa were applied during the DFT calculation, and the result shows that the electronic structures of LLM-105 crystal and the (101) plane changed with the increase of external pressure and the evolution process of (101) plane is different from that of LLM-105 crystal structure.

Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs), a new category of contaminants in limelight, is a major issue of global concern. The pervasive nature of CECs and its harmful effects, such as cancer, reproductive disorders, neurotoxicity etc., make the situation alarming. The perilous nature of CECs lies in the fact that even very small concentration of CECs can cause great impacts on living beings. It also has a nature of bioaccumulation. Thus, it is the ultimate need to have efficient sensors for detection of CECs to ensure safe living environment. Electrochemical sensors are an efficient platform for CEC detection as they are highly selective, sensitive, stable, reproducible, and prompt, and can detect very low concentrations of analyte. Major classes of CECs are pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, personal care products, endocrine disruptors, newly registered pesticides, and disinfection by-products. This review focusses on CECs, including their sources and pathways, health effects caused by them, and electrochemical sensors as reported in literatures under each category for the detection of major CECs.

Tourism sustainability is a significant approach to forming a synergistic model of industry and ecology in ecologically vulnerable areas. Scientifically detecting the effect mechanism of tourism development (TDI) on eco-environment resilience (ERI) is important in achieving regional social-ecological system sustainability. Empirical exploration is conducted on the levels of TDI and ERI in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) to study the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of TDI's effect on ERI. The results indicate a significant growth in TDI in the YREB, with the formation of tourist clusters around Shanghai and Chongqing as the core. Although ERI typically exhibits a declining trend, the rate of decline has notably slowed, forming a "high at the sides and low in the middle" spatial pattern. TDI and ERI are spatially dependent in the YREB, with predominantly high-high (HH) and low-high (LH) clusters in Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu. Conversely, upstream regions with strong eco-environmental foundations exhibit low-low (LL) and high-low (HL) clusters. In general, TDI promotes ERI, but there is significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity in the YREB. Positive impact regions are expanding, while negative impact regions are shrinking. These results could provide scientific evidence for differentiated classification and control policies in the YREB.

Wetlands are recognized as one of the world’s most valuable natural resources. With the increasing world population, human demands on wetland resources for agricultural expansion and urban development continue to increase. In addition, global climate change has pronounced impacts on wetland ecosystems through alterations in hydrological regimes. To better manage and conserve wetland resources, we need to know the distribution and extent of wetlands and monitor their dynamic changes. Wetland maps and inventories can provide crucial information for wetland conservation, restoration, and management. Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing technologies have proven to be useful for mapping and monitoring wetland resources. Recent advances in geospatial technologies have greatly increased the availability of remotely sensed imagery with better and finer spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution. This chapter presents an introduction to the uses of GIS and remote sensing technologies for wetland mapping and monitoring. A case study is presented to demonstrate the use of high-resolution light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data and aerial photographs for mapping prairie potholes and surface hydrologic flow pathways.

Littoraria melanostoma (Gray, 1839) is a most common species of gastropods in mangroves. They quickly respond during the early stage of mangrove restoration and usually form a dominant community within a certain period. We characterized the complete mitochondrial genome of the species. The whole mitogenome of L. melanostoma was 16,149 bp in length and its nucleotide composition showed high AT-content of 64.16%. It had 37 genes, including 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes, one control region between tRNA-Phe and COX3. The A/T compositions in the control region is 74.7%, respectively, and are much higher than the overall A/T composition of the mitochondrial genomes. The amino acid composition and codon usage of the mitochondrial genomes of from eight superfamilies of Littorinimorpha were analyzed, and the results showed that CUU (Leu), GCU (Ala), AUU (Ile), UCU (Ser), UUA (Leu), GUU (Gly) and UUU (Phe) are the commonly used codons in this order. The results of phylogenetic analysis were roughly consistent with morphological classification, which showed that L. melanostoma is closely related to L. sinensis, a rock-dwelling species that is widespread in the coastal intertidal zone of China. These results may provide a basis to understand the phylogeny and evolution of the Littorinimorpha.

Background: Routine human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake continues to be suboptimal since its recommendation in 2006 for girls and in 2011 for boys. This paper aims to review published quality improvement (QI) methodologies on interventions to improve HPV vaccine uptake among adolescents; Methods: Science Direct and Scopus databases were searched for QI initiatives evaluating the effect of multimodal interventions to improve HPV vaccination rates (initiation and/or completion of series) among adolescents. Studies that included an outcome of interest among adolescents aged 10 to 18 years old were included. Two investigators worked independently to screen for potential articles and a designated investigator extracted data on study characteristics and evaluated the outcomes; Results: Preliminary search yielded a total of 523 articles and 13 were included in the final analysis. Common strategies were provider-specific and patient- and/or parent-specific interventions, with an emphasis on education and knowledge empowerment. System-level interventions such as policy changes and revised protocol were less commonly prescribed despite being associated with more significant weight on the overall outcome; Conclusions: Creative, sustainable, and economical multilevel interventions that focus not only on provider training and public education but also incorporate local policy and system enhancement can substantially improve HPV vaccination coverage among adolescents.

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most prevalent type of sustained cardiac dysrhythmia globally, confers strikingly enhanced risks for cognitive dysfunction, stroke, chronic cardiac failure, and sudden cardiovascular demise. Aggregating studies underscore the crucial roles of inherited determinants in the occurrence and perpetuation of AF. However, due to conspicuous genetic heterogeneity, the inherited defects accounting for AF remain largely indefinite. Here, via the whole-genome genotyping with genetic markers and linkage assay in a family suffering AF, a new AF-causative locus was located at human chromosome 7p14.2-p14.3, a ~4.89-cM (~4.43-Mb) interval between the markers D7S526 and D7S2250. Exome-wide sequencing assay unveiled that at the defined locus, solely the mutation in the TBX20 gene, NM_001077653.2: c.695A&gt;G; p.(His232Arg), co-segregated with AF in the family. Additionally, Sanger sequencing assay of TBX20 in another family suffering AF uncovered a novel mutation, NM_001077653.2: c.862G&gt;C; p.(Asp288His). Neither of the two mutations was observed in 600 unrelated control individuals. Functional investigations demonstrated that the two mutations both significantly reduced the transactivation of the target gene KCNH2 (a well-established AF-causing gene) and the ability to bind the promoter of KCNH2, while without effect on the nuclear distribution of TBX20. Conclusively, these findings reveal a new AF-causative locus at human chromosome 7p14.2-p14.3 and strongly indicate TBX20 as a novel AF-causative gene, shedding light on the mechanism underlying AF and suggesting clinical significance for allele-specific treatment of AF patients.

: Exploiting the relationship between the stacking modes of molecules and room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) performance is of great important to design afterglow materials. A series of coordination polymers base on carbazole–isophtalic acid are synthesized. These compounds exhibit stacking-dependent RTP. It reveals that the phosphorescence efficiency is not proportional to the overlap of p–p stacking, the triplet excited states of discrete dimer mode rather than H-aggregation can dominate the generation of room-temperature phosphorescence. Besides, compounds 1 and 2 exhibit obvious time-dependent RTP with the afterglow color from orange to green, and show white-light emission owing to fluorescence and phosphorescence dual emission. These results indicate that coordination induction is an efficient approach to regulate the aggregation of chromophores, further modulate the room-temperature phosphorescence.

A multispectral superconducting nanowire single photon detector sensitive to different incident photon wavelength bands, is proposed. The SNSPD consists of a Distributed Bragg Reflector, a gold mirror, and two regions employing four NbN nanowires. Using the DBR both as a filter and a reflector, two distinct detection bands are created. The first detection band has a peak absorbance of > 0.75 at a wavelength of 1143 nm, while the second band has an absorbance of > 0.70 in the wavelength range 1440 to 2000 nm. The design of the device can be tuned to provide sensitivity in different wavelength bands. While SNSPDs do not typically provide photon wavelength sensitivity, the band-selection design proposed in this work opens up potential applications for future quantum communication technology.

Accurate measurement of systemic financial risk is critical to maintaining the stability of financial markets. Taking China as the subject of investigation, the Chinese Financial Stress Index (CFSI) indicator system was con-structed by integrating six dimensions and employing Gray Relation Analysis (GRA) for dimensionality reduction of the indicators. The CFSI was derived using the Attribute Hierarchy Model (AHM) method with the Criteria Importance Through the Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC) method, and an Improved Gravitational Search Algorithm (IGSA) optimized Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBFNN) was proposed for out-of-sample prediction of CFSI trends from 2024 to 2026. By analyzing the trend of financial pressure indicators, the relationship between financial pressure and economic activity can be effectively identified. The research findings indicate that: (1) The CFSI is capable of accurately reflecting the current financial stress situation in China; (2) The IGSA-RBFNN demonstrates good robustness and generalization capabilities, predicting that the CFSI index will reach a peak value of 0.543 by the end of 2024, and there exists a regular pattern of stress rebound towards the end of each year. The novel methodology benefits policymakers and regulatory authorities to formulate preventive measures and risk management by identifying potential risks and vulnerabilities in advance.

We investigated the efficacy of a Rumex crispus and Cordyceps sinensis mixture made using the Beopje (Korea traditional processing method to remove anti-nutrients and enhance phytochemicals) method to regulate immune cell responses toward nitric oxide (NO) production, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and inflammation related genes in mice splenocytes. The six experimental groups were as follows: control (control), Rc-Cs (Rumex crispus (Rc) and Cordyceps sinensis (Cs) mixture, 6:4), TMC (Taemyeongcheong, commercial healthy drink containing Rc-Cs), LPS (lipopolysaccharide), LPS+Rc-Cs, and LPS+TMC. The Rc-Cs mixture reduced nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-induced splenocytes. Moreover, Rc-Cs enhanced production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, and IL-6 compared to the control (no treatment). However, Rc-Cs inhibited production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-induced splenocytes. In addition, LPS+Rc-Cs also significantly suppressed mRNA expression of IL-1β and IL-6 compared to LPS treatment. Interestingly, Rc-Cs did not increase mRNA levels of iNOS and COX-2, which are inflammation related genes compared to the control, while LPS+Rc-Cs reduced mRNA levels of iNOS and COX-2 compared LPS alone (p < 0.05). TMC showed a similar pattern compared to Rc-Cs. Therefore, Rc-Cs treatment in splenocytes enhanced NO production and pro-inflammatory cytokines compared to the control, whereas Rc-Cs treatment in LPS-induced splenocytes reduced NO production, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and inflammation related genes. Thus, Rc-Cs regulated immune cells responses by increasing pro-inflammatory cytokines in splenocytes and reducing toxin (LPS)-induced inflammation. These results indicate that a Rumex crispus and Cordyceps sinensis mixture (Rc-Cs) and TMC containing Rc-Cs promote immune cells responses and anti-inflammatory activities.

The main aspects of material research: material synthesis, material structure, and material properties, are interrelated. Acquiring atomic structure information of electron beam sensitive materials by electron microscope, such as porous zeolites, organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites, metal-organic frameworks, is an important and challenging task. The difficulties in characterization of the structures will inevitably limit the optimization of their synthesis methods and further improve their performance. The emergence of integrated differential phase contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (iDPC-STEM), a STEM characterization technique capable of obtaining images with high signal-to-noise ratio under lower doses, has made great breakthroughs in the atomic structure characterization of these materials. This article reviews the developments and applications of iDPC-STEM in electron beam sensitive materials, and provides an outlook on its capabilities and development.

Predatory mites are a type of biological control agent used in many countries against various vegetable pests, particularly spider mites. Despite the significant presence of predatory mites in the Tibetan plateau, there is limited research on their fitness and prey capacity in the area. Herein, four predatory mite species, including one species Neoseiulus californicus and three species from genus Amblyseius (Amblyseius swirskii, Amblyseius barkeri, and Amblyseius cucumeris) were investigated. Specifically, their fitness and prey capacity on two-spotted mites (Tetranychus urticae) at highland conditions were evaluated. Compared to the other three predatory species, A. swirskii had the highest fecundity (Mean ± SEM=11.60 ± 0.34) and the highest pre-adult survival rate (Mean ± SEM = 83.33 ± 3.33%). Since their juvenile Survival Rate (SR) was extremely low (Mean ± SEM =13.33% ± 5.77%), most A. barkeri nymphs died before emergence. Compared to the other three predatory mites, A. swirskii had the highest predation capacity on T. urticae adult mites at 15 d post-release (Mean ± SEM =14.28 ± 2.24). Collectively, these findings imply notable advantages in employing A. swirskii for controlling two-spotted mites in the Tibetan Plateau. Furthermore, based on the results, A. swirskii was the most effective, and A. barkeri was the least effective in controlling two-spotted mites in the Tibetan Plateau. These findings could inform the development of a feasible biological control method based on suitable predatory mite species to manage T. urticae in the Tibetan Plateau, and would be helpful in delaying the rise or emergence of chemical pesticide resistance in two-spotted mites.

This paper presents three approaches to estimating battery parameters of the electrical equivalent circuit model (ECM) based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS); these approaches are referred to as (a) least squares (LS), (b) exhaustive search (ES), and (c) nonlinear least squares (NLS). The ES approach is assisted with the LS method for the rough determination of the lower and upper bound of the ECM parameters, and the NLS approach is incorporated with the Monte Carlo run such that different initial guesses can be assigned to improve the goodness of EIS fitting. The proposed approaches are validated using both simulated and real EIS data. Compared to LS approach, the ES and NLS approaches show better fitting accuracy at various noise levels; whereas both in the validation using simulated EIS data and actual EIS data collected from LG 18650 and Molicel 21700 batteries, the NLS approach shows better fitting accuracy than that of LS and ES approaches. In all cases, compared with the ES approach, the computational time of the NLS approach is significantly faster, and compared with the LS approach, the NLS approach shows a minimal difference in computational time and considerably better fitting performance.

This study investigates the effects of Zinc (4wt.%) and severe plastic deformation on the mechanical properties of AZ61 magnesium alloy through the stir-casting process. The severe plastic deformation (equal channel angular pressing (ECAP)) has been done followed by T4 heat treatment. The microstructural examinations revealed that the addition of 4wt.%Zn enhances the uniform distribution of β-phase, contributing to a more uniformly corroded surface in corrosive environments. Additionally, dynamic recrystallization (DRX) significantly reduces the grain size of as-cast alloys after undergoing ECAP. The attained mechanical properties demonstrate that after a single ECAP pass, AZ61 + 4wt.%Zn alloy exhibits optimal yield strength (YS), ultimate compression strength (UCS), and hardness. This research highlights the promising potential of AZ61 + 4wt.%Zn alloy for enhanced mechanical and corrosion-resistant properties, offering valuable insights for applications in diverse engineering fields.

Microbial community succession in raw milk determines its quality and storage period. In this study, carbon dioxide (CO2) at 2000 ppm was used to treat raw milk to investigate the mechanism of extending the shelf life of raw milk by CO2 treatment from the viewpoint of microbial colonies and metabolites. The results showed that the shelf life of CO2-treated raw milk was extended to 16 days at 4 ℃, while that of the control raw milk was only 6 days. Microbiomics analysis identified 221 Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) in raw milk, and the alpha diversity of microbial communities increased (P < 0.05) with the extension of storage time. Among them, Pseudomonas, Actinobacteria and Serratia were the major microbial genus responsible for the deterioration of raw milk, with a percentage of 85.7%. A combined metagenomics and metabolomics analysis revealed that microorganisms altered the levels of metabolites, such as pyruvic acid, glutamic acid, 5'- cmp, arginine, 2-propenoic acid, and phenylalanine in the raw milk through metabolic activities, such as ABC transporters, pyrimidine metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism and phenylalanine metabolism, and reduced the shelf life of the raw milk. CO2 treatment prolonged the shelf life of the raw milk by inhibiting the abundance of Gram-negative aerobic bacteria, such as Acinetobacter guillouiae, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Serratia liquefaciens and Pseudomonas simiae.

Background: Mutations in TBCK can generate truncated TBCK protein aggregates that abolish the normal function of the gene. Alterations in TBCK function have been implicated in developmental and neurogenetic disorders, as well as the progression of certain forms of cancer. Despite TBCK's involvement in various human diseases, the underlying mechanism for cancer pathogenesis remains poorly understood. Methods: To further explore loss of function mutations in TBCK, we introduced a CRISPR-mediated knockout system capable of deleting the human TBCK gene. Transcriptome analysis based on RNA-seq data was utilized to illustrate important roles of TBCK in cancer initiation and progression. Results: The effectiveness of our targeted CRISPR knockout system (sgTBCK) was validated in multiple human cancer models, including PDAC MIAPaCa-2 and Fibrosarcoma HT1080. Our clear and straightforward workflow, detailed protocol, and schematic diagram for knocking out human TBCK via CRISPR can be applied to any gene of interest, which highlights the versatility, reproducibility, and user-friendliness of this approach. The application of our TBCK knockout system for transcriptome analysis showed TBCK's involvement in multiple hallmark cancer pathways, such as TNF-α signaling, Apoptosis, Hypoxia, P53, and Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition, emphasizing the importance of TBCK mutations in cancer initiation and progression. Conclusions: We generated a straightforward workflow, detailed protocol, and schematic diagram for knocking out human TBCK via CRISPR and confirmed that the sgRNA against TBCK (GTTCGAGAAAGGAAACCTGTG) was specific for human TBCK. To date, this is the first report that has combined a CRISPR-Cas9 knockout system with transcriptome analysis to uncover potential mechanisms of TBCK in cancer progression.

In 2020 the world experienced the threat of the COVID-19 epidemic, as seniors and chronic disease patients typically try to reduce their exercise and social activities to avoid increasing the risk of infection, which could lead to increased loneliness and even many diseases. This research combining golf croquet games with AIoT companion robots constructs a home-based intelligent exercise system thus uses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), deduces users’ intention to use this system based on perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, and adds the needs of love and belonging, esteem, cognitive, aesthetic, and self-actualization in Maslow’s needs theory to conduct system needs analysis. The analysis results show that participants have a high level of acceptance of this system, believing that it is easy to learn and operate, can increase interaction with others, also found that this system can improve self-confirmation, satisfying the third for knowledge, feeling happy, and self-actualization needs are easier to fulfill. In the future, we shall collect and record the seniors in the process of use, so as to find out their health problems as soon as possible, expand their daily life through this exercise, and achieve the goal of happy living and health care.

(1) Background: Ectopic pregnancy (EP) is when fertilized ovum implanted outside of uterine cavity. The incidence was 1.5% to 2.0% of all pregnancies [1, 2]. EP decreases fertility ability [3]. This study focused on the pregnancy rate after EP and various parameters influencing pregnancy. (2) Methods: The data was extracted from National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) during 2000-2013. The study group enrolled women with one EP history. Those who did not have EP was put into the control group. Chi-square/Fisher exact test was performed on category variable and t-test was used on continue variables. (3) Results: The EP group had a higher cumulative rate of conceive, 41.55% than control group, 37.14% and 1.16 times higher risk in developing pregnancy (P&lt;0.001). The conceiving rate was lower than the control group in the first 5 years, but higher than the control group in the 10th to 14th years. (4) Conclusions: The fecundability after EP is lower at the beginning, but regained after long term follow.

N6-methyladenosine (M6A) modification is the most abundant internal chemical modification on RNA molecules in eukaryotes and can affect mRNA metabolism and regulate RNA transcription, nuclear export, splicing, degradation, translation, ets, and has a significant impact on various aspects of physiology or pathobiology. Radiotherapy is the most common measure of tumor treatment, variety of cellular intrinsic mechanisms affect the responses of cells to ionizing radiation (IR) and effectiveness of cancer radiotherapy. In this review, we summarize and discuss the recent advances about the roles and mechanisms of RNA M6A methylation in cellular responses to radiation-induced DNA damage response, and outcomes of cancer radiotherapy. Insights into the RNA M6A methylation in radiation biology may facilitate the improvement of therapeutic strategies for cancer radiotherapy as well as radioprotection on normal tissues.