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In this article, main process data, notably time–series data such as lance position patterns, are analyzed during converter steelmaking, and methodologies in data processing and transforming are proposed. In this study, utilizing both the transformed key time–series and primary static process data, the influence of various process parameters on the end‐point parameters of converter steelmaking is analyzed. Furthermore, it establishes predictive models for the end‐point content of carbon (C) and phosphorus (P), as well as the end‐point temperature. In the findings, it is indicated that the end‐point carbon content and temperature are primarily influenced by the oxygen flow pattern, lime addition pattern, and key smelting parameters. The end‐point phosphorus content is mainly affected by the oxygen flow pattern, limestone addition pattern, and dolomite addition pattern. Regarding the prediction of end‐point carbon and phosphorus content, and end‐point temperature, compared to seven sub‐models, the hybrid model demonstrates an average accuracy improvement of 37.88%, 25.03%, and 31.51%, respectively, and the end‐point hit rate improves by 18.77%, 19.59%, and 20.41%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing electrocatalysts for seawater splitting remains challenging. A Ru–Co alloy supported by an N-doped carbon substrate catalyst has been designed using etching and a low-temperature treatment method. Studies show that the superior performance of this catalyst is related to the hollow-structured N-doped carbon frame and surface reconstruction of the Ru–Co alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ATP plays a crucial role in cell energy supply, so the quantification of intracellular ATP levels is particularly important for understanding many physio-pathological processes. The intracellular quantification of this non-electroactive molecule can be realized using aptamer-modified nanoelectrodes, but is hindered by the limited quantity of modification and electroactive tags on the nanosized electrodes. Herein, we developed a simple but effective electrochemical signal amplification strategy for intracellular ATP detection, which replaces the regular ATP aptamer-linked ferrocene monomer with a polymer, thus greatly magnifying the amounts of electrochemical reporters linked to one chain of the aptamer and enhancing the signals. This ferrocene polymer–ATP aptamer was further immobilized onto Au nanowire electrodes (SiC@C@Au NWEs) to achieve accurate quantification of intracellular ATP in single cells, presenting high electrochemical signal output and high specificity. This work not only provides a powerful tool for quantifying intracellular ATP but also offers a simple and versatile strategy for electrochemical signal amplification in the detection of broader non-electroactive molecules involved in different kinds of intracellular physiological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A variety of electromagnetic wave absorption materials (EMWAs) have been reported, but the integration of powder materials and multifunctional devices should be investigated in-depth to adapt to practical demands. Herein, carbon-coated cobalt composites were prepared by adsorbing magnetic metal cations into an anionic crystalline framework through an electrostatic encapsulate process. Excellent reflection loss (RLmin) of −40.49 dB and effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 5.36 GHz (RL<−10 dB, 10.4–15.76 GHz) was achieved with an optimal radar cross section (RCS) reduction of 34.9 dB·m2 for the sample tested. For commercial applications, Co@CN-4 was integrated into sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) aerogel to create an ultra-lightweight composite aerogel that is compressive resistant and heat-holding while also having photothermal conversion capabilities.The hydrophobic modification makes it more widely useful. This study provides a new strategy for EWAMs to integrate versatility and improve their application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the differences in the accuracy of immediate intraoral, immediate extraoral, and delayed dental implant placement with surgical guides (static computer‐aided implant surgery) in patients treated with mandibular reconstruction. Methods: This was a retrospective study. The patients were divided into three groups: immediate intraoral placement (IIO), immediate extraoral placement (IEO), and delayed placement (DEL). Four variables were used to compare the planned and actual implant positions: angular deviation, three‐dimensional (3D) deviation at the entry point of the implant, 3D deviation at the apical point of the implant, and depth deviation. Results: The angular deviation was significantly higher in the IIO group than in the IEO (p <.05) and DEL (p <.05) groups. The 3D deviation at the entry point was significantly higher in the IIO group than in the IEO (p <.05) and DEL (p <.01) groups. The 3D deviation at the apical point was significantly higher in the IIO group than in the IEO (p <.01) and DEL (p <.01) groups. The depth deviation was significantly higher in the IIO group than in the IEO (p <.05) and DEL (p <.05) groups. There was no statistical difference between the IEO and DEL group in angular and 3D deviation. Conclusion: With surgical guides, among the different approaches for implant placement, delayed implant placement remains the most accurate approach for patients treated with mandibular reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the relationship between school mental health service use in high school and educational outcomes of adolescents with psychiatric disorders. The sample included 2617 adolescents who were enrolled in eighth grade in a large urban school district in the United States, were enrolled in Medicaid during eighth grade, and had a mental health diagnosis. Psychiatric hospitalization, school enrollment, school absences, out-of-school suspensions, school dropouts, and school exits for negative reasons were examined as mental health and educational outcomes. Compared with adolescents who used school mental health services for 2 years following eighth grade, adolescents who did not use school mental health service during the high school years had a significantly lower annual number of days enrolled in school and higher rates of exiting school for negative reasons such as school dropout and long-term hospitalization. Our findings support the positive role of school mental health care delivery in high schools in preventing negative educational outcomes for adolescents with psychiatric disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a protocol for generating N-qubit Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger (GHZ) states in a superconducting system. The physical model contains N superconducting flux qubits and a cavity, where the N superconducting flux qubits are coupled to the cavity simultaneously. The preparation of GHZ states can be realized in one step by applying a pair of classical fields to each qubit. The protocol is promising for generating N-qubit GHZ states because the operation time is independent of the number of the qubits in the strong drive regime. Furthermore, we consider the effects of random noise and decoherence, and numerical simulations show that the protocol is insensitive to these disturbing factors. Therefore, the protocol may be useful in the generation of GHZ states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the mechanism of the end-to-end transmission delay of the communication network on the collaborative driving process for traffic flow in the vehicle-to-vehicle communication environment, based on the idea of the car-following model, this paper introduces characteristic parameters characterizing the end-to-end transmission delay of the network into Newell's following model and proposes a CD and OV model by considering the time delay characteristics of the collaborative driving process from information transmission to control decision and then to physical execution. To determine the cooperative driving system's stability criterion, the stability analysis of the new model is examined. By using the reductive perturbation approach, the spatiotemporal evolution mechanism of the traffic flow around the critical stability point under the influence of various transmission delays is analyzed. The resulting modified Korteweg-de Vries (mKdV) equations and density wave solutions are derived. The results show that the end-to-end transmission delay of the network has a significant shock effect on the stability of the vehicle-vehicle cooperative driving system, and the stability of the traffic flow and the ability to suppress traffic congestion becomes worse with the increase in the end-to-end transmission delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The glutathione (GSH) system is one of the most powerful intracellular antioxidant systems for the elimination of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and maintaining cellular redox homeostasis. However, the rapid kinetics information (at the millisecond to the second level) during the dynamic antioxidation process of the GSH system remains unclear. As such, we specifically developed a novel dual‐wire nanosensor (DWNS) that can selectively and synchronously measure the levels of GSH and ROS with high temporal resolution, and applied it to monitor the transient ROS generation as well as the rapid antioxidation process of the GSH system in individual cancer cells. These measurements revealed that the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the GSH system is rapidly initiated against ROS burst in a sub‐second time scale, but the elimination process is short‐lived, ending after a few seconds, while some ROS are still present in the cells. This study is expected to open new perspectives for understanding the GSH antioxidant system and studying some redox imbalance‐related physiological. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The glutathione (GSH) system is one of the most powerful intracellular antioxidant systems for the elimination of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and maintaining cellular redox homeostasis. However, the rapid kinetics information (at the millisecond to the second level) during the dynamic antioxidation process of the GSH system remains unclear. As such, we specifically developed a novel dual‐wire nanosensor (DWNS) that can selectively and synchronously measure the levels of GSH and ROS with high temporal resolution, and applied it to monitor the transient ROS generation as well as the rapid antioxidation process of the GSH system in individual cancer cells. These measurements revealed that the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the GSH system is rapidly initiated against ROS burst in a sub‐second time scale, but the elimination process is short‐lived, ending after a few seconds, while some ROS are still present in the cells. This study is expected to open new perspectives for understanding the GSH antioxidant system and studying some redox imbalance‐related physiological. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public-academic partnership-based program evaluations can generate actionable evidence for policymaking, program design and implementation in improving school-based mental health service delivery. The University of Pennsylvania Center for Mental Health and public behavioral health care agencies in Philadelphia in the United States have evaluated Philadelphia's school mental health programs reimbursable through Medicaid billing since 2008. The variety of evaluations include (1) examining acute mental health service use of children receiving school-based mental health care and Medicaid expenditure, (2) examining children's externalizing and internalizing behaviors to measure school mental health providers' performance, and (3) examining effects of different types of school mental health programs on children's behavioral health functioning, school outcomes, and other out-of-school service use. This paper reports key findings of these evaluations, discusses how programs have been refined based on evaluation results, and shares lessons learned for successful public-academic partnership-based evaluations to promote use of actionable evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurate prediction of the grade of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) before treatment is vital for individualized therapy and improving patient outcomes. This study aimed to develop and validate a mammography-based radiomics nomogram that would incorporate the radiomics signature and clinical risk factors in the preoperative prediction of the histological grade of IDC. Methods: The data of 534 patients from our hospital with pathologically confirmed IDC (374 in the training cohort and 160 in the validation cohort) were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 792 radiomics features were extracted from the patients' craniocaudal and mediolateral oblique view images. A radiomics signature was generated using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method. Multivariate logistic regression was adopted to establish a radiomics nomogram, the utility of which was evaluated using a receiver-operating characteristic curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: The radiomics signature was found to have a significant correlation with histological grade (P < 0.01), but the efficacy of the model is limited. The radiomics nomogram, which incorporated the radiomics signature and spicule sign into mammography, showed good consistency and discrimination in both the training cohort [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.75] and the validation cohort (AUC = 0.75). The calibration curves and DCA demonstrated the clinical usefulness of the proposed radiomics nomogram model. Conclusions: A radiomics nomogram based on the radiomics signature and spicule sign can be used to predict the histological grade of IDC and assist in clinical decision-making for patients with IDC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) is a prevalent condition and associated with increased morbidity and mortality following cardiac surgery. This study aimed to investigate the association of underweight and obesity with adverse postoperative renal outcomes in infants and young children undergoing congenital heart surgery. This retrospective cohort study included patients aged from 1 month to 5 years who underwent congenital heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 2016 to March 2022. On the basis of the percentile of body mass index (BMI) for age and sex, eligible participants were divided into three nutritional groups: normal bodyweight, underweight (BMI P5), and obesity (BMI P95). Primary outcomes included postoperative AKI and major adverse kidney events within 30 days (MAKE30). Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine the association of underweight and obesity with postoperative outcomes. The same analyses were reproduced for classifying patients using weight-for-height instead of BMI. A total of 2,079 eligible patients were included in the analysis, including 1,341 (65%) patients in the normal bodyweight group, 683 (33%) patients in the underweight group, and 55 (2.6%) patients in the obesity group. Postoperative AKI (16% vs. 26% vs. 38%; P < 0.001) and MAKE30 (2.5% vs. 6.4% vs. 9.1%; P < 0.001) were more likely to occur in the underweight and obesity groups. After adjusting for potential confounders, underweight (OR1.39; 95% CI 1.08-1.79; P = 0.008) and obesity (OR 3.85; 95% CI 1.97–7.50; P < 0.001) were found to be associated with an increased risk of postoperative AKI. In addition, both underweight (OR 1.89; 95% CI 1.14–3.14; P = 0.014) and obesity (OR 3.14; 95% CI 1.08-9.09; P = 0.035) were independently associated with MAKE30. Similar results were also found when weight-for-height was used instead of BMI. Conclusion: In infants and young children undergoing congenital heart surgery, underweight and obesity are independently associated with postoperative AKI and MAKE30. These results may help assess prognosis in underweight and obese patients, and will guide future quality improvement efforts. What is Known: • Postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) is prevalent and associated with increased morbidity and mortality following pediatric cardiac surgery. • Major adverse kidney events within 30 days (MAKE30) have been recommended as a patient-centered endpoint for evaluating AKI clinical trajectories. A growing concern arises for underweight and obesity in children with congenital heart disease. What is New: • Prevalence of underweight and obesity among infants and young children undergoing congenital heart surgery was 33% and 2.6%, respectively. • Both underweight and obesity were independently associated with postoperative AKI and MAKE30 following congenital heart surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of magnetic nanotechnology has prompted the development of novel sample preparation techniques. Phytic acid (PA) is an organophosphate compound of natural origin. Not only is it highly attractive to multivalent metal ions such as calcium, zinc, and iron, but it is also capable of forming complexes with molecules such as proteins. Here, we describe a highly cost-effective method of phytic acid-modified Fe3O4 (Fe3O4-PA) for the rapid concentration and isolation of foodborne pathogens. Using three examples for Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, respectively, we demonstrate the excellent selective ability of Fe3O4-PA towards Gram-positive bacteria with more than 98.76% capture efficiency for MRSA. The Fe3O4-PA trap almost completely captured Staphylococcus aureus at a concentration of about 5.82 × 103 CFU/mL in apple juice. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser microscopy experiments showed that Fe3O4-PA can be non-destructive and non-lethal for the enrichment of Gram-positive bacteria. We believe that our work provides a fast and promising method for concentrating bacteria directly from food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the efficacy of intravitreal dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex) versus antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatment in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). A systematic review and meta-analysis. The study included randomized control trials (RCTs) and non-randomized control trials (Non-RCTs) before December 2021 that compare the efficacy of Ozurdex-related therapyand anti-VEGF therapy. We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE. The quality of the included studies was assessed carefully. 30 studies were included. Regarding BCVA change, the overall result revealed no significant differences between Ozurdex and anti-VEGF therapies in patients with nonresistant DME, but Ozurdex group had significantly more VA improvement than anti-VEGF therapies in patients with resistant DME (MD 0.12, 95% CI 0.02–0.21). In terms of central retinal thickness (CRT) decrease, there was a significant difference between Ozurdex therapy and anti-VEGF therapy in patients with nonresistant DME (MD 48.10, 95% CI 19.06–77.13) and resistant DME (MD 65.37, 95% CI 3.62–127.13). Overall, Ozurdex therapy resulted in significantly greater VA improvement and CRT decrease than anti-VEGF therapy in resistant DME patients. Ozurdex therapy was not inferior to anti-VEGF therapy in patients with nonresistant DME. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early prediction of treatment response is crucial for the optimal treatment of advanced breast cancer. We aimed to explore whether monitoring early changes in plasma human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) levels using digital PCR (dPCR) could predict the treatment response in advanced breast cancer. Methods: This was a multicenter, prospective, noninterventional clinical study of patients with advanced breast cancer. All enrolled patients underwent blood testing to measure the HER2 levels by digital PCR before treatment initiation and once every 3 weeks during the study. The primary endpoints werea the diagnostic value of dPCR for detecting HER2 status in the blood andb the relevance of potential changes in the plasma HER2 level at 3 weeks from baseline for predicting treatment response. Results: Overall, 85 patients were enrolled between October 9, 2018, and January 23, 2020. dPCR had a specificity of 91.67% (95% CI: 80.61% to 97.43%) for detecting HER2 amplification, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.84 (p < 0.01). A clinically relevant specificity threshold of approximately 90%, which was equivalent to a ≥15% decrease in the plasma HER2 ratio at 3 weeks from baseline, showed a positive predictive value of 97.37% (95% CI: 77.11% to 98.65%) in terms of predicting clinical benefit. Patients whose plasma HER2 ratio was reduced by ≥15% had a longer median progression‐free survival (PFS) than those whose ratio was reduced by <15% (9.20 months vs. 4.50 months, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Early changes in the plasma HER2 ratio may predict the treatment response in patients with advanced breast cancer and could facilitate optimal treatment selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a protocol for nondestructive parity meter (NPM) of two cat‐state qubits is proposed. The physical model contains two cavities and an auxiliary qubit. For each cavity, the quantum information is encoded on the odd and even cat state, forming a cat‐state qubit. By adjusting the strength of the driving field on the auxiliary qubit, an effective Hamiltonian for cavity‐selective transition is derived. Moreover, reverse engineering based on the effective Hamiltonian is applied to find the evolution path, and the systematic‐error‐sensitivity nullification method is used to select proper parameters of the evolution path. In this way, robust control fields are designed to combat the influence of the systematic errors. Furthermore, the effects of random noise and decoherence on the fidelity of the protocol are considered. Numerical simulations show that the protocol is insensitive to the experimental imperfection, including systematic errors, random noise and decoherence. Therefore, the protocol is expected to expand the vision of realizing NPM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual cryptography is a potentially important technique for optical information security. However, the limitations of carrier materials and the high precision requirements of the reconstruction process limit the application scope of visual cryptography. Herein, we propose a novel visual cryptography technique based on ghost imaging. The spatial information on one visual key image is encoded into time-varying factors in ghost imaging and loaded onto Hadamard illumination patterns. The secret image can be recovered when the illumination patterns are projected onto another visual key image. This method utilizes light-intensity superposition to overlap visual key image pixels. Simulation and experimental results substantiate the feasibility and security of the proposed technique. This method incorporates the unique advantages of ghost imaging and visual cryptography and is not limited by carrier materials and precision. Hence, it has high scalability and broad application scenarios in ghost imaging broadcasting systems and information authentication, among others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective : The study aims to compare differences among iliac bone flaps with different iliac crest orientations for the repair of mandibular defects with an aim to analyze their advantages, disadvantages, and effects. Material and methods: Clinical data and computed tomography scans of all patients who underwent iliac bone flap repair of the mandible in Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology from January 2016 to April 2021 were collected. Patients were divided into the iliac crest towards alveolar process (Group A) and the iliac crest towards mandibular inferior margin (Group B). Software was used to measure corresponding indicators. The results obtained for the groups were statistically analyzed. Results: The study included 78 patients (25 and 53 in groups A and B, respectively). The symmetry of the LC-type defect was better in group A (p < 0.05). The all-bone width of the alveolar process side in group A was greater than 6 mm; in 15 cases of group B, the width was less than 6 mm (p < 0.05). The intermaxillary distance of two sites were higher in group B (p < 0.05). The bone cortical thickness was significantly thicker in group A (p < 0.05). Conclusion: One year after the mandibular body defect was reconstructed with a vascularized iliac bone flap, the iliac crest towards alveolar process group showed better bone symmetry, width, intermaxillary distance, and cortical thickness to meet the planting requirements. Clinical relevance: The use of an iliac crest towards alveolar process may be a better approach for mandible reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To alleviate the impact of insufficient labels in less-labeled classification problems, self-supervised learning improves the performance of graph neural networks (GNNs) by focusing on the information of unlabeled nodes. However, none of the existing self-supervised pretext tasks perform optimally on different datasets, and the choice of hyperparameters is also included when combining self-supervised and supervised tasks. To select the best-performing self-supervised pretext task for each dataset and optimize the hyperparameters with no expert experience needed, we propose a novel auto graph self-supervised learning framework and enhance this framework with a one-shot active learning method. Experimental results on three real world citation datasets show that training GNNs with automatically optimized pretext tasks can achieve or even surpass the classification accuracy obtained with manually designed pretext tasks. On this basis, compared with using randomly selected labeled nodes, using actively selected labeled nodes can further improve the classification performance of GNNs. Both the active selection and the automatic optimization contribute to semi-supervised node classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a protocol to realize non-adiabatic holonomic quantum computation (NHQC) of cavity modes via invariant-based reverse engineering. Coupling cavity modes with an auxiliary atom trapped in a cavity, we derive effective Hamiltonians with the help of laser pulses. Based on the derived Hamiltonians, invariant-based reverse engineering is used to find proper evolution paths for NHQC. Moreover, the systematic-error-sensitivity nullified optimal control method is considered in the parameter selections, making the protocol insensitive to the influence of systematic errors of pulses. We also estimate the imperfections induced by random noise and decoherence. Numerical results show that the protocol holds robustness against these imperfections. Therefore, the protocol may provide useful perspectives to quantum computation with optical qubits in cavity quantum electrodynamics systems. This article is part of the theme issue 'Shortcuts to adiabaticity: theoretical, experimental and interdisciplinary perspectives'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) were synthesized in an eco-friendly pathway applying Mentha piperita extract as reducing/stabilizing agent. The morphological and physicochemical features of the prepared nanoparticles were determined using several advanced techniques like FE-SEM, EDX, and UV–Vis studies. The as synthesized Cu NPs was explored in the antioxidant and anti-human esophageal cancer tests. The in vitro cytotoxic and anti-esophageal cancer effects of biologically synthesized Cu NPs against human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (KYSE-270), human caucasian esophageal carcinoma (OE33), and adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction (ESO26) cancer cell lines were assessed. The anti-esophageal cancer properties of the Cu NPs could significantly remove KYSE-270, OE33, and ESO26 cancer cell lines in a time and concentration-dependent manner by MTT assay. The IC50 of the Cu NPs were 241, 278, and 240 µg/mL against KYSE-270, OE33, and ESO26 cancer cell lines. The antioxidant activity of Cu NPs was determined by DPPH method. The Cu NPs showed the high antioxidant activity according to the IC50 value. It seems that the anti-human esophageal cancer effect of recent nanoparticles is due to their antioxidant effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a Ni and diamond-like carbon (DLC)-modified TiO2 nanotube composite electrode was prepared as a glucose sensor using a combination of an anodizing process, electrodeposition, and magnetron sputtering. The composition and morphology of the electrodes were analyzed by a scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray detector, and the electrochemical glucose oxidation performance of the electrodes was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The results show that the Ni-coated DLC-modified TiO2 electrode has better electrocatalytic oxidation performance for glucose than pure TiO2 and electrodeposited Ni on a TiO2 electrode, which can be attributed to the synergistic effect between Ni and carbon. The glucose test results indicate a good linear correlation in a glucose concentration range of 0.99–22.97 mM, with a sensitivity of 1063.78 μA·mM−1·cm−2 and a detection limit of 0.53 μM. The results suggest that the obtained Ni-DLC/TiO2 electrode has great application potential in the field of non-enzymatic glucose sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of the times, the rational use of land has become the focus of social and economic development. In order to make more efficient use of land value, this study analyzes the spatial layout of urban and rural buildings under multicriteria constraints. From 2016 to 2021, the city showed a stable growth trend, and the growth rates of the three showed obvious correlation. In 2019, the average growth rate of machine learning algorithm is 46.6%, the average growth rate of decision tree algorithm is 48.2%, the average growth rate of cloud computing is 51.8%, and the average growth rate of this method is 52.5%. It can be seen that in these four ways, it is based on this reasonable land distribution system that has promoted the process of urban modernization. With the rapid economic growth, the scale of urban and rural construction land has expanded rapidly. Only when the experience and decision-making ideas of planning decision-makers are effectively applied to the process of land use spatial layout, a scientific land use spatial layout scheme can be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium-rich adakitic rocks have been used to infer high-pressure (HP) melting of thickened or foundered mafic lower crust in post-collisional settings. However, their origin remains debated because of their potassic rather than sodic nature. We address this debate by investigating the source of post-collisional Oligocene high-K adakitic granites in southern Tibet, which are widely attributed to melting of overthickened mafic lower crust. Our new data provide evidence for the generation of these high-K adakitic granites by anatexis of exposed migmatitic intermediate to felsic arc orthogneisses. These granites contain high-Th/U Oligocene magmatic zircons (30-22 Ma), and inherited zircons (66-48 Ma) with the same εHf(t) (0 to +12) as the coeval migmatites. The migmatites have in turn low-Th/U metamorphic Oligocene zircon rims around 66-48 Ma magmatic zircon cores recording the anatectic event at 29-25 Ma. Phase equilibrium modeling yields an anatectic temperature of ∼740 °C and pressure (P) of ∼0.9 GPa and shows that garnet is stable at P > 0.7 GPa in the melt-present field. The results indicate that high-K adakitic magmas are derived from melting of older intermediate to felsic arc rocks at intermediate pressures, in the garnet stability field, without any involvement of HP melting of metabasaltic rocks. We propose that hybridization between such purely crustal magmas and subcontinental lithospheric mantle-derived shoshonitic magmas results in the hybridized post-collisional Oligocene-Miocene mafic microgranular enclave-bearing potassic adakitic granitic rocks in southern Tibet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A protocol to distinguish chiral molecules with the help of a cyclic three‐level structure is proposed. Non‐resonant microwave pules are applied to drive the transition of chiral molecules from their ground states to dressed‐states with different eigenenergies, which induce a large energy split in the levels of left‐handed molecules. This dynamics helps to realize a chirality‐selective transition, where only the right‐handed molecules can be excited to the higher levels. By utilizing the SU(2)‐transformation‐based shortcuts to adiabaticity method and the systematic‐error‐sensitivity nullified optimal control method, systematic‐error‐resistant control pulses to realize maximal population difference between molecules with different chirality are designed. Numerical simulations show that the protocol is also insensitive to random noise and energy relaxation. Therefore, the protocol may provide a promising approach for rapid and robust chiral discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the driver's multiple prediction effects of flux changes (MPEFC) on traffic flow on a curved road, parameters of the weighted flow gradient of multiple lattices ahead are introduced to characterize the MPEFC effect on a curved road. On this basis, combined with the characteristics of a curved road, a lattice model considering the drive's MPEFC effects is proposed under the V2X environment. The stability criterion is obtained. Through the reduced perturbation method, the density wave equation and its solution used to describe the propagation law of traffic congestion near the critical point are derived. The results show that the stability of traffic flow on a curved road increases along with the increase in radian, and that considering the MPEFC effects simultaneously has a significant stabilizing effect for traffic flow on a curved road. It is also discovered that under the V2X environment, the traffic flow is optimally stabilized by considering the information of just two lattices ahead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the quality of optical imaging, this paper proposes a ghost imaging method based on multi-frequency fusion. First, filter is used to decompose the illumination field into illumination information of low frequency and high frequency (horizontal, vertical and diagonal directions), which is irradiated to the target object through the ghost imaging system. The detector receives the high- and low-frequency information of the object at the receiving end, and then demodulates it. Different fusion rules are used to fuse the received information in different frequency domains, and finally, the ideal image information is fusion-reconstructed. Simulation and experiment results verify that the fusion-reconstructed image obtained by this algorithm retains the characteristic information of the source image in different frequency domains, and provides a feasible and effective imaging algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the FeCl3-catalyzed alkylation of nonactivated C(sp3)–H bonds. Photoinduced ligand-to-metal charge transfer at the iron center generates chlorine radicals that then preferentially abstract hydrogen atoms from electron-rich C(sp3)–H bonds distal to electron-withdrawing functional groups. The resultant alkyl radicals are trapped by electron-deficient olefins, and the catalytic cycle is closed by Fe(II) recombination and protodemetalation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of shared decision-making (SDM) intervention among patients with lumbar degenerative diseases (LDDs) in terms of decision self-efficacy, control preferences, SDM process, decision satisfaction, and conflict.Methods: A total of 130 outpatients with LDDs recruited from orthopedic or rehabilitation clinics were randomly assigned to the SDM intervention (n = 67) or comparison (n = 63) groups. Patients in the intervention group received decision aids (DAs) with decision coaching and those in controlled group received standard educational materials from a health educator. The primary outcome was decision self-efficacy, and secondary outcomes were control preference, SDM process, conflict, and satisfaction.Results: The SDM intervention significantly improved decision self-efficacy (mean difference [MD] = 7.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.7-12.5, partial η2 = 0.05) and reduced conflict (MD = -7.0, 95% CI: -12.2 to -1.9, partial η2 = 0.06), especially in patients without family involvement, compared with the health education group. However, no significant between-group differences were observed in other outcomes.Conclusion: SDM intervention improved SDM self-efficacy and reduced conflict in patients with LDDs.Practice Implications: Clinicians can integrate DAs and decision coaching in SDM conversations. SDM intervention seems to engage patients in decision-making, especially those without family involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assume that r is a finite dimensional complex Lie superalgebra with a non-degenerate super-symmetric invariant bilinear form, p is a finite dimensional complex super vector space with a non-degenerate super-symmetric bilinear form, and ν : r → o s p (p) is a homomorphism of Lie superalgebras. In this paper, we give a necessary and sufficient condition for r ⊕ p to be a quadratic Lie superalgebra. Then, we define the cubic Dirac operator D (g , r) on g and give a formula of (D (g , r)) 2 . Finally, we get the Vogan's conjecture for quadratic Lie superalgebras by D (g , r) . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rhodococcus kroppenstedtii is an aerobic, gram-positive bacterium firstly identified in the environment, which has not been reported in human-related infection. Herein, we reported the first case of peritoneal dialysis (PD)-associated peritonitis caused by R. kroppenstedtii which was identified by whole genome sequencing.Case Presentation: A 69-year-old man was admitted to hospital with abdominal pain and fever. Over the last 2 years, he had been undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) due to end-stage renal disease. Clinical symptom and sign in combination with laboratory examinations supported the clinical diagnosis of PD-associated peritonitis. Thus, ceftizoxime and teicoplanin were empirically used after PD effluent was collected for bacterial culture. A gram-positive bacterium was found from the PD effluent culture, which could not be identified by either Vitek 2 Compact ANC card or matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The strain was finally confirmed to be R. kroppenstedtii by whole genome sequencing (WGS) through the average nucleotide identity (ANI) analysis. With a continuous treatment with teicoplanin and imipenem for 15 days and intraperitoneal catheter removed, the infection symptom was improved evidenced by a normal body temperature, also with white blood cell count (WBC), procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) dropped to normal levels. Peritoneal dialysis effluent culture showed a negative result. Then, hemodialysis and arteriovenous fistula angioplasty were performed, but the patient developed a progressive blood pressure loss, accompanied by multiple organ disorder, and died on Feb 25, 2020.Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time to report a peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis caused by R. kroppenstedtii which was identified by average nucleotide identity analysis based on WGS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is a vision-threatening disease common in Asian populations. However, the optimal treatment for PCV remains under debate. We searched the databases with optimal searching strategy. The study included randomized clinical trials and prospective studies that recruited patients with active PCV who had received interventions, including PDT, anti-VEGF, or a combination of PDT and anti-VEGF. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology was used for rating the quality of evidence. Our study included 11 studies involving 1277 patients. The network meta-analysis of RCTs revealed the anti-VEGF group, early combination group, and late combination group had significant BCVA changes compared with the PDT group. Early combination therapy led to a significant decrease in CRT compared with PDT, anti-VEGF, and late combination therapy. Additionally, the early combination group had a significantly higher complete polyp regression rate than the anti-VEGF group. No significant differences were detected in the analysis of the number of anti-VEGF injections and safety profile. This network meta-analysis revealed that early combination therapy exhibited better efficacy related to anatomical outcomes than other therapies. Nonetheless, no significant differences related to BCVA change could be detected between anti-VEGF and late combination therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controller and hand gesture recognition are both common input mechanisms in immersive environments. We evaluate the effect of combining them as a hybrid input to perform game-like tasks. To explore the possible design space, three tests were conducted sequentially. First, a design study was conducted to investigate which of the tasks were most likely to be performed with hybrid inputs. Next, we implemented the four highest-ranked tasks and invited 22 participants to perform these tasks with different input combinations. From examining execution times and reviewing feedback from participants, we provide observations and discussions concerning the usage of a hybrid input. A follow-up experiment was designed to refine these observations. The results indicate that task execution using hybrid inputs is as efficient as bimanual controllers when assigning actions to the appropriate input. Finally, a few guidelines are provided suggesting how to consider possible scenarios for this hybrid input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a heterogeneous soft tissue neoplasm most frequently found in children and adolescents. As the prognosis for recurrent and metastatic RMS remains poor, immunotherapies are hoped to improve quality of life and survival. CD137 is a member of tumor necrosis factor receptor family and a T cell costimulatory molecule which induces potent cellular immune responses that are able to eliminate malignant cells. Therefore, it was puzzling to find expression of CD137 on an RMS tissue microarray by multiplex staining. CD137 is not only expressed by infiltrating T cells but also by malignant RMS cells. Functional in vitro experiments demonstrate that CD137 on RMS cells is being transferred to adjacent antigen-presenting cells by trogocytosis, where it downregulates CD137 ligand, and thereby reduces T cell costimulation which results in reduced killing of RMS cells. The transfer of CD137 and the subsequent downregulation of CD137 ligand is a physiological negative feedback mechanism that is likely usurped by RMS, and may facilitate its escape from immune surveillance. In addition, CD137 signals into RMS cells and induces IL-6 and IL-8 secretion, which are linked to RMS metastasis and poor prognosis. However, the ectopic expression of CD137 on RMS cells is an Achilles' heel that may be utilized for immunotherapy. Natural killer cells expressing an anti-CD137 chimeric antigen receptor specifically kill CD137-expressing RMS cells. Our study implicates ectopic CD137 expression as a pathogenesis mechanism in RMS, and it demonstrates that CD137 may be a novel target for immunotherapy of RMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-ion batteries suffer from mechano–electrochemical coupling problems that directly determine the battery life. In this paper, we investigate the electrode electrochemical performance under stress conditions, where seven tensile/compressive stresses are designed and loaded on electrodes, thereby decoupling mechanics and electrochemistry through incremental stress loads. Four types of multi-group electrochemical tests under tensile/compressive stress loading and normal package loading are performed to quantitatively characterize the effects of tensile stress and compressive stress on cycle performance and the kinetic performance of a silicon composite electrode. Experiments show that a tensile stress improves the electrochemical performance of a silicon composite electrode, exhibiting increased specific capacity and capacity retention rate, reduced energy dissipation rate and impedances, enhanced reactivity, accelerated ion/electron migration and diffusion, and reduced polarization. Contrarily, a compressive stress has the opposite effect, inhibiting the electrochemical performance. The stress effect is nonlinear, and a more obvious suppression via compressive stress is observed than an enhancement via tensile stress. For example, a tensile stress of 675 kPa increases diffusion coefficient by 32.5%, while a compressive stress reduces it by 35%. Based on the experimental results, the stress regulation mechanism is analyzed. Tensile stress loads increase the pores of the electrode material microstructure, providing more deformation spaces and ion/electron transport channels. This relieves contact compressive stress, strengthens diffusion/reaction, and reduces the degree of damage and energy dissipation. Thus, the essence of stress enhancement is that it improves and optimizes diffusion, reaction and stress in the microstructure of electrode material as well as their interactions via physical morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term survival of dialysis patients in the United States with prosthetic heart valves: Should ACC/AHA practice guidelines on valve selection be modified? Ann Thorac Surg. 1997;64:129-32, discussion 132-3. 27 Takeda K, Miyata H, Motomura N. Contemporary perioperative results of heart valve replacement in dialysis patients: analysis of 1,616 patients from the Japan adult cardiovascular surgery database. We read the article entitled "Mechanical versus bioprosthetic valves in chronic dialysis: a systematic review and meta-analysis" by Kim and colleagues,[1] with great interest. [Extracted from the article]

Aim: The equilibrium theory of island biogeography predicts the positive species–area relationship and the negative species–isolation relationship, resulting in higher species richness on large and close islands. Unlike species richness, soundscape diversity integrates sound from various sources (e.g. biophony, geophony and anthrophony). However, how soundscape diversity varies with island area and isolation still needs to be tested. Here, we explored the island biogeography of bird soundscapes and the determinants of island attributes in shaping bird diversity and soundscape diversity. Location: Thousand Island Lake, Zhejiang, China. Taxon: Birds. Methods: We recorded avian soundscapes by audio recorders and censused bird diversity by line transects on 20 land‐bridge islands. We calculated four acoustic indices (acoustic complexity index, bioacoustic index, acoustic evenness index and acoustic entropy index) to assess acoustic richness, evenness and heterogeneity to explore the soundscape diversity of birds. We used multiple linear regressions, spatial autoregressions and piecewise structural equation models to examine the relationships between bird richness and acoustic diversity, and island attributes. Results: We found positive diversity–area relationships for avian soundscapes. Larger islands had more vocal species and higher habitat diversity, which led to an increment in the richness and unevenness of avian soundscapes on large islands. Acoustic evenness decreased with increasing isolation (distance to the mainland). Main Conclusions: Soundscapes on large islands are more diverse than those on small islands. Rich acoustic assemblages and heterogeneous habitats promote increased soundscape diversity on islands. Conversely, the lack of vocal contributors, resulting in a decrement in the communication of acoustic signals, can create a lower soundscape diversity on small and remote islands. Our study emphasizes the necessity of examining both species and habitat diversity in island biogeography for better understanding the underlying mechanisms determining biological soundscapes on islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of this letter was to explore the trends regarding methodological flaws of systematic review and meta-analyses (SRMAs) based on retraction notes in the past decades, and the categories of reasons for the retractions. Content analysis with descriptive statistics, Cochran Q test, and multinomial logistic regression were used. Based on 187 records of retracted SRMAs, retraction announcements can be categorized into academic ethical violation, methodological flaw, and writing or reporting problem. The numbers of academic ethical violation were significantly higher than those with methodological flaw (z = 3.51; p < 0.01) or writing problem (z = 8.58; p < 0.001). The numbers of methodological flaw were also higher than that with writing problem (z = 6.47; p < 0.001). Moreover, an increased proportion of methodological flaw was observed since 2006, and the retraction year was significantly associated with increased proportion of methodological flaw when academic ethical violation as the reference group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is based on 10 years of ethnography research in six cities in Sichuan after the Wenchuan earthquake. The author delineates local officials' dispersed clientelist endeavours seeking stable collaboration with NGOs. In contrast to the corporatism model, in which government control of NGOs is formal and from the top down, the patron–client relationship entails considerably more subjectivity, flexibility and dispersion in the exercise of state power, which may or may not result in effective implementation of the state's policy objectives. As local government officials increasingly deploy their informal authority in addition to their extensive institutional power, and as informal networks lubricate the policy process, state dominance over society becomes more pervasive, entrenched and fragmented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several interventions have demonstrated efficacy in improving social outcomes for children with autism, but they often are not used in schools. This study examined individual and organizational factors associated with the use of a research-informed social engagement intervention, Remaking Recess, for children with autism in elementary schools. A total of 28 school personnel from 12 schools in 5 districts in the northeastern United States participated. Schools were randomized to (1) training in Remaking Recess only or (2) training in Remaking Recess with implementation support. School personnel rated their attitudes about evidence-based practices, organizational readiness, and fidelity. Independent observers rated school personnel's fidelity at baseline (pre-intervention training) and exit (post-intervention training). The results suggest that self-rated fidelity was lower when staff perceived the use of Remaking Recess was required; however, observer-rated fidelity was lower when staff rated Remaking Recess as appealing. In addition, self-rated fidelity was higher when there was a sufficient number of staff, positive individual growth, and organizational adaptability. The results also indicated higher observer-rated fidelity when staff perceived a positive influence over their coworkers. The results suggest that both individual (attitudes) and organizational (influence, staffing, growth, adaptability) characteristics may affect implementation success in schools. A collaborative decision-making approach for evidence-based practice use is recommended. Several interventions or treatment programs have been shown through research to improve social outcomes for children with autism, but they often are not used in schools. This study examined individual (school personnel) and organizational (school level) factors associated with the use of a research-informed social engagement intervention, Remaking Recess, for children with autism in elementary schools. A total of 28 school personnel from 12 schools in 5 districts in the northeastern United States participated. Schools were randomly assigned to (1) training in Remaking Recess only or (2) training in Remaking Recess with implementation support (tailored strategies to remove barriers to increase use of Remaking Recess). School personnel rated their attitudes about research-informed interventions, organizational readiness (school's readiness to use a research-informed intervention), and fidelity or the degree to which an intervention is used as it was originally designed. Observers rated school personnel's fidelity at baseline (pre-intervention training) and exit (post-intervention training). The results suggest that self-rated fidelity was lower when staff perceived the use of Remaking Recess was required; however, observer-rated fidelity was lower when staff rated Remaking Recess as appealing. In addition, self-rated fidelity was higher when there was a sufficient number of staff, positive individual growth, and organizational adaptability. The results also indicated higher observer-rated fidelity when staff perceived positive influence over their coworkers. The results suggest that both individual (attitudes) and organizational (influence, staffing, growth, adaptability) characteristics may affect implementation success in schools. A collaborative decision-making approach for evidence-based practice use is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To observe the clinical curative effect of continuous epidural irrigation combined with posterior debridement and posterior lumbar inter-body fusion with instrumentation for the therapy of single-segment lumbar pyogenic spongdylodiscitis. Methods: From June 2010 to November 2013, surgical treatment was performed in 18 patients with pyogenic spondylodiscitis. The surgical indications were progressive biomechanical instability, epidural abscesses, deterioration of neurologic status, and intractable back pain. All these patients received posterior decompression with posterior instrumentation, debridement of infected tissue, and inter-body fusion. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores were used to assess clinical outcomes. The neural function was evaluated by the Frankel grading system. Laboratory and radiologic results were recorded during clinical follow-up for at least one year. Results: The average follow-up period was 18 months after the operation. The VAS scores decreased from an average of 7.1 points before the procedure to 2.6 points after operation. The neurologic deficits of all the patients were recovered to Frankel grade E. All of the examined laboratory parameters were normalized gradually. Imaging-documented fusion was achieved in each patient, and no implants failure was noted. No patients showed any evidence of recurrence or persistence of infection. Conclusion: In carefully selected patients, single-segment lumbar pyogenic spondylodiscitis can be cured successfully with continuous epidural irrigation and drainage combined with posterior debridement and posterior lumbar inter-body fusion. Instrumentation could provide immediate stability and reconstruction of the spine column, and the presence of instrumentation did not result in any persistence or recurrence of infection. Continuous epidural irrigation and drainage is an effective method facilitating the elimination of residual infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: The present study was designed to compare the feasibility of ultrasound (US)-guided lumbar epidural access using paramedian sagittal scanning (PMSS) and paramedian transverse scanning (PMTS) approaches. Methods: Fifty patients undergoing surgery of the lower extremities were randomly allocated into 2 groups. The patients in PMSS group received PMSS-guided in-plane epidural access, whereas patients in PMTS group received PMTS-guided in-plane epidural access. The US visibility of neuraxial structures and of Tuohy needle during US scout scan, procedure duration, the number of attempts to access epidural space, Tuohy needle puncture depth in the epidural space, and extent of sensory block after spinal block between two groups were compared. Results: The US visibility of Tuohy needle and neuraxial structures was comparable between two groups. There was an overall decrease in procedure duration in the PMTS group relative to the PMSS group (360 ± 42 vs. 490 ± 38 s). The number of attempts needed to access the epidural space in PMSS group was significantly higher than in PMTS group. Distances between the epidural space and the puncture site in PMSS group and PMTS group showed a significant difference (7.13 ± 0.67 vs. 5.24 ± 0.21 cm). No significant differences in the extent of sensory block after spinal block were observed. Conclusions: We found that PMTS approach was superior as a means of achieving epidural access relative to the PMSS approach, since PMTS approach can be conducted more quickly given shorter path of the needle and less times needed for epidural access during this procedure. Clinical trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, clinical trial number ChiCTR1800015815, date of registration April 24, 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The self‐assembly process of 2,2′‐bipyridine‐4,4′,6,6′‐tetracarboxylic acid (H4bptc) and Zn(II) centers has been implemented under hydrothermal condition, while surprisingly, due to the high reaction temperature, the H4bptc ligand transformed into 2,2′‐bipyridine‐4,6,6′‐tricarboxylic (H3bptc′) with an unexpected in situ ligand reaction (hydrothermal decarboxylation) during the synthetic process. And finally, a novel Zn(II) MOF {[Zn1.5(bptc′)(H2O)]⋅H2O}n (1) has been obtained, which is characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD), thermogravimetric analyse (TGA), elemental analyse (EA) and infrared spectroscopy (IR). In MOF 1, the 1D [Zn1‐O6,6′‐carboxyl‐Zn2]n double chains are connected by the 4‐carboxyl of R‐ or S‐bptc′ ligands into a 3D double‐walled rod‐packing framework with three kinds of windows. In addition, the solid‐state fluorescent property of 1 was conducted at room temperature, and meanwhile, 1 showed high selectivity and sensitivity for MnO4− ion by fluorescent quenching effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Developing a stroke health-education mobile app (SHEMA) and examining its effectiveness on improvement of knowledge of stroke risk factors and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with stroke.Methods: We recruited 76 stroke patients and randomly assigned them to either the SHEMA intervention (n = 38) or usual care where a stroke health-education booklet was provided (n = 38). Knowledge of stroke risk factors and HRQOL were assessed using the stroke-knowledge questionnaire and European Quality of Life-Five Dimensions (EQ-5D) questionnaire, respectively.Results: Sixty-three patients completed a post-test survey (the SHEMA intervention, n = 30; traditional stroke health-education, n = 33). Our trial found that patients' mean knowledge score of stroke risk factors was improved after the SHEMA intervention (Mean difference = 2.83; t = 3.44; p = .002), and patients' knowledge was also improved in the after traditional stroke health-education (Mean difference = 2.79; t = 3.68; p = .001). However, patients after the SHEMA intervention did not have significantly higher changes of the stroke knowledge or HRQOL than those after traditional stroke health-education.Conclusions: Both the SHEMA intervention and traditional stroke health-education can improve patients' knowledge of stroke risk factors, but the SHEMA was not superior to traditional stroke health-education.Trial Registration: NCT02591511 Verification Date 2015-10-01. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the acoustic vibrations of a circular nanowire have been studied on the basis of surface elasticity model, where both the surface elastic property and surface inertia effect are captured. The phonon dispersion and the resonant frequencies for specific vibration modes have been calculated. It has been found from the numerical results that both the surface elastic property and the surface inertia have much effect on the vibration behavior of the nanowire, though depending on the vibration modes. The low-frequency Raman shift has also been considered. The results reveal the surface effect is significant in nanowires, which may make it possible to use Raman scattering to determine the surface properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review aimed to (1) identify and summarize empirical studies on youth with behavioral health disorders aging out of foster care and (2) address implications for behavioral health policy, research, and practice. We identified previous studies by searching PubMed, PsycINFO, EBSCO, and ISI Citation Indexes and obtaining references from key experts in the child welfare field. A total of 28 full articles published between 1991 and 2014 were reviewed and summarized into the key areas including systems of care, disability type, transition practice area, study methods, study sample, transition outcome measures, study analysis, and study findings. Considering how fast youth who have behavioral health disorders fall through the crack as they exit foster care, one cannot understate the importance of incorporating timely and appropriate transition planning and care coordination for youth who have behavioral health disorders aging out of foster care into the usual case management performed by behavioral health systems and service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two trends are gaining prevalence across China: (1) NGO needs for funding in order to survive and (2) the transformation of the government and private foundations into major NGO donors. This study explores grassroots NGOs' experience with the government's purchase-of-services contracting and private foundations' grant schemes in Shanghai, Beijing and Sichuan. The research findings show that two opposite effects of the funding game are simultaneously felt: growing space for diversity and increasing isomorphic pressures. The two donor types have jointly created a result-driven and institutionalized environment in which NGOs easily lose sight of their missions and uniqueness. Nonetheless, despite finding their options extremely limited, NGOs adopt constantly evolving, multifaceted resource strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Epigenome-wide DNA methylation has not been studied in men perinatally exposed to PCBs and dioxins. Therefore, we examined whether perinatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) induces sustained methylation changes lasting to early adulthood. We used the Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip to assess DNA methylation in whole blood among Yucheng second generation (people perinatal exposed to high PCBs and PCDFs) compared with referents. Thirty male offspring from the Yucheng cohort were randomly selected and matched with 30 male offspring from the Yucheng' neighborhood referents with similar backgrounds. Methylation differences between the Yucheng second generation and non-exposed referents were identified using a P value < 1.06 × 10−7. Differential DNA methylation with epigenome-wide statistical significance was observed for 20 CpGs mapped to 11 genes, and 19 CpGs were correlated with gestational levels of PCBs or PCDF toxic equivalency (PCDF-TEQ) with the same direction of effect. Among the 11 genes, AHRR and CYP1A1 are involved in the aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling pathway known to mediate dioxin toxicity. MYO1G, FRMD4A, ARL4C, OLFM1, and WWC3 were previously reported to be related to carcinogenesis. This is the first study examining genome-wide DNA methylation among people perinatally exposed to high concentrations of PCBs and PCDFs. We observed novel differential methylation of several genes, indicating that modifications of DNA methylation associated with perinatal PCB and PCDF exposure may persist in exposed offspring for more than 20 years. Furthermore, involvement of several carcinogesis-related genes suggested a potential in utero epigenetic mechanisms. Highlights • Perinatally exposed to dioxins induced long-lasting alterations in DNA methylation. • Novel differential methylation of 20 CpGs mapped to 11 genes were observed. • Most identified CpGs had a large magnitude of methylation changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]