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Zero-dimensional (0D) hybrid metal halides (HMHs) have emerged as a promising platform for exploring excitation-dependent multicolor luminescent materials owing to their diverse crystal structures and chemical compositions. Nevertheless, understanding the mechanism behind excitation-dependent emissions (EDEs) in 0D HMHs and achieving precise modulation remains challenging. In this work, the delicate regulations on the EDE of 0D (DMEDABr)4SnBr3I3 (DMEDA: N, N′-dimethylethylenediamine) with mixed halogens are achieved under low temperature and high pressure, respectively. The inhomogeneous halogen occupation at the atomic scale leads to the formation of Br-rich and I-rich SnX6 (X = Br, I) octahedra, which act as distinct luminescent centers upon photoexcitation. At low temperatures, the narrowed photoluminescence spectra could distinguish the individual emissions from different luminescent centers, resulting in a pronounced EDE of (DMEDABr)4SnBr3I3. In addition, the contraction and distortion of the luminescent SnX6 (X = Br, I) centers at high pressure further result in different degrees of emission shifts, giving rise to the gradual emergence and disappearance of EDE. This work elucidates the underlying mechanism of EDE in 0D HMHs and highlights the crucial role of halogens in determining the optical properties of metal halides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because the fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) microelectrodes is quite challenging, microelectrodes with a simple cross-section are usually used in micro-electro-discharge machining (micro-EDM) to perform layer-by-layer scanning machining for machining 3D microstructures. In this study, we used pure copper powder as the raw material to prepare 3D queue microelectrodes through selective laser melting (SLM). The influences of laser power and laser scanning speed on the densification rate of the 3D microelectrodes were investigated. Moreover, the effects of the temperature and temperature holding time on the conductivity and EDM performance of the 3D microelectrodes during heat treatment were also analyzed. In order to improve the geometric accuracy of the 3D microstructure, 3D microstructures were subjected to micro-EDM with 3D queue microelectrodes: the first microelectrode was used for rough machining and the remaining microelectrodes were used for fine machining. In addition, to ensure a high surface quality of the 3D microstructure, multiple EDM were conducted to eliminate unmelted copper powder and layer defects on the surface of the 3D queue microelectrode. Finally, by applying the 3D queue microelectrodes in micro-EDM, a 3D microstructure with a height error of 1 µm and surface roughness of 1.685 µm was obtained after three repeated discharges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sous‐vide technique is increasingly used to improve the quality of poultry meat; the study aimed to compare the quality of traditional and sous‐vide marinated (SVM) duck drumsticks by analyzing the sensory‐related, nutritional, storage‐related, and in vitro digestive‐related quality of duck meat. The results showed that the sensory quality scores of color, odor, and appearance, L* and a* values of duck drumsticks in SVM group were significantly increased compared with the traditional marinated (TM) group (t‐test, p < 0.05, the same below), and the b* values on the outside and inside of duck drumsticks were decreased by 22.47% and 38.04%, respectively. Compared with TM group, hardness, springiness, chewiness, adhesion, cohesion, and resilience of duck drumsticks in SVM group decreased by 43.32%, 29.52%, 65.08%, 62.35%, 20.23%, and 30.33%, respectively. The moisture content and total fat content of duck drumsticks in SVM group were significantly higher than those in TM group (p < 0.05), and the protein loss, total volatile basic nitrogen, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values were decreased by 61.4%, 25.86%, and 20.45%, respectively. The results of in vitro digestion experiments showed that the content of free sulfhydryl groups of duck drumsticks in SVM group was significantly increased (p < 0.05), and the contents of Schiff base and carbonyl groups were significantly decreased compared with the TM group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the SVM technology could significantly improve the sensory‐related qualities, reduce the loss of nutrients, and improve the storage‐related qualities of duck drumsticks. This study provided theoretical reference for the high‐value application of SVM technology in duck meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the pathogenicity of duck adenovirus Type 3 (DAdV-3) in chickens. In this study, this virus was identified through the amplification of specific viral fragments and whole-genome sequencing, and its pathogenicity was identified by means of its inoculation into chickens. The isolated DAdV-3 led to higher pathogenicity and fatality rates in chickens. The main clinical symptoms in the sacrificed chicks were hepatitis–hydropericardium syndrome (HHS), swollen and petechial hemorrhages of the bursa, and the gizzard's endothelium falling off easily. Histopathological examination showed swelling, necrosis, lymphocyte infiltration, and basophilic inclusion bodies in multiple organs. Higher antibody levels were found in the surviving chickens. The major variation domains (ORF19B, ORF66, and ORF67) did not change after infection with the virus in Muscovy ducks and chickens. This is the first study to report the pathogenicity of DAdV-3 in chickens, and it provides an experimental basis for newly infected hosts of DAdV-3. Duck adenovirus Type 3 (DAdV-3) severely affects the health of ducks; however, its pathogenicity in chickens remains unknown. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the pathogenicity and major pathological changes caused by DAdV-3 in chickens. Viral DNA was extracted from the liver of the Muscovy duck, and the fiber-2 and hexon fragments of DAdV-3 were amplified through polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The evolutionary tree revealed that the isolated virus belonged to DAdV-3, and it was named HE-AN-2022. The mortality rate of chicks that received inoculation with DAdV-3 subcutaneously via the neck was 100%, while the mortality rate for eye–nose drop inoculation was correlated with the numbers of infection, with 26.7% of chicks dying as a result of exposure to multiple infections. The main symptoms exhibited prior to death were hepatitis–hydropericardium syndrome (HHS), ulceration of the glandular stomach, and a swollen bursa with petechial hemorrhages. A histopathological examination revealed swelling, necrosis, lymphocyte infiltration, and basophilic inclusion bodies in multiple organs. Meanwhile, the results of quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) demonstrated that DAdV-3 could affect most of the organs in chickens, with the gizzard, glandular stomach, bursa, spleen, and liver being the most susceptible to infection. The surviving chicks had extremely high antibody levels. After the chickens were infected with DAdV-3 derived from Muscovy ducks, no amino acid mutation was observed in the major mutation regions of the virus, which were ORF19B, ORF66, and ORF67. On the basis of our findings, we concluded that DAdV-3 infection is possible in chickens, and that it causes classic HHS with ulceration of the glandular stomach and a swollen bursa with petechial hemorrhages, leading to high mortality in chickens. The major variation domains did not change in Muscovy ducks or in chickens after infection. This is the first study to report DAdV-3 in chickens, providing a new basis for preventing and controlling this virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amid the rapid development of modern society, the widespread use of plastic products has led to significant environmental issues, including the accumulation of non-degradable waste and extensive consumption of non-renewable resources. Developing healable, recyclable, bio-based materials from abundant renewable resources using diverse dynamic interactions attracts increasing global attention. However, achieving a good balance between the self-healing capacity and mechanical performance, such as strength and toughness, remains challenging. In our study, we address this challenge by developing a new type of dynamic network from epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) with good strength and toughness. For the synthetic strategy, a thiol–epoxy click reaction was conducted to functionalize ESO with thiol and hydroxyl groups. Subsequently, a curing reaction with isocyanates generated dynamic thiourethane and urethane bonds with different bonding energies in the dynamic networks to reach a trade-off between dynamic features and mechanical properties; amongst these, the thiourethane bonds with a lower bonding energy provide good dynamic features, while the urethane bonds with a higher bonding energy ensure good mechanical properties. The incorporation of flexible PBAT segments to form the rational multi-phase structure with crystalline domains further enhanced the products. A typical sample, OTSO100-PBAT100, exhibited a tensile strength of 33.2 MPa and an elongation at break of 1238%, demonstrating good healing capacity and desirable mechanical performance. This study provides a promising solution to contemporary environmental and energy challenges by developing materials that combine mechanical and repair properties. It addresses the specific gap of achieving a trade-off between tensile strength and elongation at break in bio-based self-healing materials, promising a wide range of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: China's family planning policies have experienced stages of one-child policy, partial two-child policy, and universal two-child policy. However, the impact of these policy shifts on the spatial accessibility to maternal and child health (MCH) services for women and children remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the spatiotemporal trends and geographic disparities in spatial accessibility to MCH services in the context of two-child polices. Methods: This study was conducted in Nanning prefecture, China, from 2013 to 2019. Data on the transportation networks, MCH institutes, the annual number of newborns, and the annual number of pregnant women in Nanning prefecture were collected. Gaussian two-step floating catchment area (Ga2SFCA) method was employed to measure the spatial accessibility to MCH services at county, township, and village levels. Temporal trends in spatial accessibility were analyzed using Joinpoint regression analysis. Geographic disparities in spatial accessibility were identified using geographic information system (GIS) mapping techniques. Results: Overall, the spatial accessibility to MCH services showed an upward trend from 2013 to 2019 at county, town, and village levels, with the average annual percent change (AAPC) being 5.04, 4.73, and 5.39, respectively. Specifically, the spatial accessibility experienced a slight downward trend during the period of partial two-child policy for both parents only children (i.e., 2013–2014), a slight upward trend during the period of partial two-child policy for either parent only child (i.e., 2014–2016) and the early stages of universal two-child policy (i.e., 2016–2018), and a large upward trend in the later stages of universal two-child policy (i.e., 2018–2019). Spatial accessibility to MCH services gradually decreased from central urban areas to surrounding rural areas. Regions with low spatial accessibility were predominantly located in remote rural areas. Conclusion: With the gradual opening of the two-child policies, the spatial accessibility to MCH services for women and children has generally improved. However, significant geographic disparities have persisted throughout the stages of the two-child policies. Comprehensive measures should be considered to improve equity in MCH services for women and children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To accurately and timely evaluate the long‐term performance of cables in cable‐stayed bridges, an automatic perception technology scheme by on‐line monitoring of cable vibrations is proposed for the fatigue damage evaluation of in‐service cables. In the fatigue‐stress amplitude of cables, the stress produced by tension changes caused by external actions like traffic, wind, and temperature is the main component. When cables vibrate significantly, the stress caused by changes in cable vibration‐induced additional stress should not be neglected. Besides axial stress, bending stress is also significant in cable fatigue damage analysis. To make cable fatigue life prediction closer to real engineering scenarios, this factor should be considered. First, based on the cable dynamic stiffness theory, a method is proposed for the automatic gathering of the actual full‐stress time history of a cable by on‐line vibration monitoring. Furthermore, based on Miner's linear fatigue damage accumulation theory, an automatic fatigue life assessment method is proposed and applied to the vibration monitoring data of cables on an operational bridge. The results indicate that the proposed technology realizes automatic on‐line monitoring of cable forces and fatigue assessment of cables. Through statistical analysis of cable fatigue stress amplitude, it was determined that in cable‐stayed bridges, compared to long cables, short cables are more sensitive to external variable loads, typically experiencing larger and more frequent tension changes, and are more prone to fatigue. Therefore, short cables should be given more attention when analyzing cable fatigue in cable‐stayed bridges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal halide perovskites have shown unique advantages compared with traditional optoelectronic materials. Currently, perovskite films are commonly produced by either multi-step spin coating or vapor deposition techniques. However, both methods face challenges regarding large-scale production. Herein, we propose a straightforward in situ growth method for the fabrication of CsPbBr3 nanocrystal films. The films cover an area over 5.5 cm × 5.5 cm, with precise thickness control of a few microns and decent uniformity. Moreover, we demonstrate that the incorporation of magnesium ions into the perovskite enhances crystallization and effectively passivates surface defects, thereby further enhancing luminous efficiency. By integrating this approach with a silicon photodiode detector, we observe an increase in responsivity from 1.68 × 10−2 A/W to 3.72 × 10−2 A/W at a 365 nm ultraviolet wavelength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between sleep duration and muscle quality index (MQI) in middle-aged and older age groups, as limited evidence exists on this topic. Methods: In order to assess the relationship between sleep duration and MQI, a cross-sectional study was undertaken, utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) acquired during the period from 2011 to 2014. The study comprised a total of 4598 participants aged 20 years and above. To examine the association between sleep duration and MQI, sophisticated weighted multivariate linear regression models were employed. Additionally, smooth curve fitting techniques were applied to examine the possibility of any non-linear relationship between the two variables. Results: The average age of the adults who were enrolled in the study was 38.48±11.69 years, and 46.75% of them were female. The results of the multivariable linear regression models showed that sleep duration had a positive correlation with MQI. However, when subgroup analysis was conducted, it was found that this positive correlation only existed among women (β = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.014 to 0.167). To further confirm the differences between sexes in the relationship between sleep duration and MQI, a weighted generalized additive model (GAM) was used. Conclusions: This research study provides evidence that there is a positive correlation between the duration of sleep and MQI specifically in females, while no such association was observed in males. These findings shed light on the existence of gender disparities in the connection between sleep duration and MQI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although ipsilateral C7 nerve transfer is used for the treatment of C5-C6 brachial plexus injuries, accurately evaluating the functional quality of the donor nerve (ipsilateral C7 nerve root) is difficult, especially when the C7 nerve root is slightly injured. The purpose of this study was to determine the indicators to evaluate the quality of the ipsilateral C7 nerve and assess the clinical outcomes of this procedure. Methods: This study employed the following three indicators to assess the quality of the ipsilateral C7 nerve: (1) the muscle strength and electrophysiological status of the latissimus dorsi, triceps brachii, and extensor digitorum communis; (2) the sensibility of the radial three digits, especially the index finger; and (3) the intraoperative appearance, feel and electrophysiological status of the ipsilateral C7 nerve root. Transfer of the ipsilateral C7 nerve root to the upper trunk was implemented only when the following three tests were conducted, the criteria were met, and the clinical outcomes were assessed in eight patients with C5-C6 brachial plexus injuries. Results: Patients were followed-up for an average of 90 ± 42 months. At the final follow-up, all eight patients achieved recovery of elbow flexion, with five and three patients scoring M4 and M3, respectively, according to the Medical Research Council scoring. The shoulder abduction range of motor recovery averaged 86 ± 47° (range, 30°-170°), whereas the shoulder external rotation averaged 51 ± 26° (range, 15°-90°). Conclusion: Ipsilateral C7 nerve transfer is a reliable and effective option for the functional reconstruction of the shoulder and elbow after C5-C6 brachial plexus injuries when the three prerequisites are met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We construct the Arthur packets for symplectic and even orthogonal similitude groups over a |$p$| -adic field and show that they are stable and satisfy the twisted endoscopic character relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vortex generators can enhance the operational safety of high-speed trains and offer effective anti-rolling performance. This paper investigates the influence of vortex generator installation angles on the aerodynamic characteristics of trains. The Improved Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation method is used to analyze the leeward side vortex structure. It is found that when the angle between the vortex generators and the relative wind is 30 ° , the rolling moment of the train is minimized, as it significantly reduces side forces while preventing excessive growth of lift force inducing rolling moment. The reduction in rolling moment of the train by vortex generators is attributed to the suppression of leeward side trailing vortices of the train, which delays flow separation at the roof of the train, inducing a downward trend in the separated flow. Dynamic Mode Decomposition reveals that vortex generators do not alter the stability of near-body trailing vortices but enhance the pulsatile characteristics of far-body trailing vortices, which do not affect the pressure distribution on the leeward side of the train. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse effects of the frequent reservoir earthquakes (REs) and the severe degradation of the hydrofluctuation belt (HFB) on the long-term stability of bedding bank slope since the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA) impoundment were considered fully in this paper. Under such complex conditions, the dynamic response pattern and instability mechanism of typical bank slopes were investigated systematically by using a method of combining field survey, laboratory shaking table (ST) model test, and Universal Distinct Element Code (UDEC) numerical exploration. The research shows that the degradation forms of the HFB of typical bank slopes in the key field survey of the TGRA can be arranged into four types: erosion (denudation), corrosion (suffosion), avalanche (collapse), and slip (flow). The dynamic response of slope shows obvious characteristics of "surface effect" and "elevation effect," and the cumulative displacement (CD), damping ratio (DR) and natural frequency (NF) of slopes show a trend of gradually increasing, and increasing and decreasing, respectively. Meanwhile, the "S–type" cubic function and "Steep rise type" exponential function can be used to characterize the cumulative damage degree (CDG) of slope at the excitation stages of microseisms—small seisms and strong seisms, respectively. Subsequently, the dynamic evolvement process for cumulative damage and unstable failure of slope considering the impact of degradation of rock mass in the HFB was obtained, and there are good agreement between the model test and numerical exploration results. Furthermore, fully considering the influence of slope height (SH), slope angle (SA), thickness of bedding plane (TBP), dip angle of bedding plane (DABP), dynamic load amplitude (DLA), dynamic load frequency (DLF), height of water level of the HFB (HWHB), degradation range of the HFB (DRHB), and degradation shape of the HFB (DSHB), the CD of slope subjected to continuous excitation of multiple seismic loads increases in the form of exponential function, the dynamic stability coefficient (DSC) of slope decreases slowly first and then drops sharply, and the response degree of slope deformation and sliding velocity is obviously different. Especially, the sensitivity level of every preceding factor to the dynamic stability of slope based on the orthogonal analysis method (OAM) is in the order of DLA > DRHB > SA > SH > DLF > HWHB > DSHB > DABP > TBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study sought to elucidate the associations of cardiometabolic index (CMI), as a metabolism-related index, with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among the older population. Utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), we further explored the potential mediating effect of inflammation within these associations. Methods: A cohort of 3029 participants aged over 65 years old, spanning six NHANES cycles from 2005 to 2016, was enrolled and assessed. The primary endpoints of the study included all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality utilizing data from National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Cox regression model and subgroup analysis were conducted to assess the associations of CMI with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. The mediating effect of inflammation-related indicators including leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were evaluated to investigate the potential mechanism of the associations between CMI and mortality through mediation package in R 4.2.2. Results: The mean CMI among the enrolled participants was 0.74±0.66, with an average age of 73.28±5.50 years. After an average follow-up period of 89.20 months, there were 1,015 instances of all-cause deaths and 348 cardiovascular deaths documented. In the multivariable-adjusted model, CMI was positively related to all-cause mortality (Hazard Ratio (HR)=1.11, 95% CI=1.01-1.21). Mediation analysis indicated that leukocytes and neutrophils mediated 6.6% and 13.9% of the association of CMI with all-cause mortality. Conclusion: Elevated CMI is positively associated with all-cause mortality in the older adults. The association appeared to be partially mediated through inflammatory pathways, indicating that CMI may serve as a valuable indicator for poor prognosis among the older population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible conductive films are a key component of strain sensors, and their performance directly affects the overall quality of the sensor. However, existing flexible conductive films struggle to maintain high conductivity while simultaneously ensuring excellent flexibility, hydrophobicity, and corrosion resistance, thereby limiting their use in harsh environments. In this paper, a novel method is proposed to fabricate flexible conductive films via centrifugal spinning to generate thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) nanofiber substrates by employing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) as conductive fillers. These fillers are anchored to the nanofibers through ultrasonic dispersion and impregnation techniques and subsequently modified with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). This study focuses on the effect of different ratios of CNTs to CNFs on the film properties. Research demonstrated that at a 1:1 ratio of CNTs to CNFs, with TPU at a 20% concentration and PDMS solution at 2 wt%, the conductive films crafted from these blended fillers exhibited outstanding performance, characterized by electrical conductivity (31.4 S/m), elongation at break (217.5%), and tensile cycling stability (800 cycles at 20% strain). Furthermore, the nanofiber-based conductive films were tested by attaching them to various human body parts. The tests demonstrated that these films effectively respond to motion changes at the wrist, elbow joints, and chest cavity, underscoring their potential as core components in strain sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doping inorganic acid ions represents a promising pathway to improving the photocatalytic activity of TiO2, and oxygen vacancy has been regarded as the determinant factor for photocatalytic activity. A series of samples doped with Cl−, NO3−, and SO42− was prepared via a simple sol–gel method. Two different oxygen vacancies in the crystal layer of NO3−/TiO2 and Cl−/TiO2 were found, and those are [Ti3+]-V0-[Ti3+] and [Ti3+]-Cl, respectively. The photocurrent of NO3−/TiO2 with [Ti3+]-V0-[Ti3+] is significantly greater than that of Cl−/TiO2 with [Ti3+]-Cl. The least oxygen vacancy is in the gel layer of SO42−/TiO2, and the negligible photocurrent is due to difficulty in forming a stable sol. Furthermore, the process conditions for the application of TiO2 were investigated in this work. The optimal process parameters are to adjust the solution to pH = 3 during sol–gel preparation, to adopt 550 °C as the calcination temperature, and to use an alkaline electrolyte, while the rest of the preparation conditions remain unchanged. This work reveals a new avenue for designing efficient photocatalysts for air pollutant degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionospheres over sea areas have an inevitable impact on maritime–satellite communications; however, due to geographic constraints, ionospheric observation and analysis over sea areas are far from adequate. In our paper, slant total electron content (STEC) along small-satellite constellation–automatic identification system (AIS) signal rays is used for computerized ionospheric tomography (CIT) over sea areas, and small-satellite constellations can provide more effective signal rays than a single satellite. An adjustment factor δ is introduced to optimize the initial electron density for the multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique (MART). The CIT results reconstructed by a traditional MART and our new method at 00:00 and 06:00, 15 March 2022, are compared, and our new method produces about a 15% and over 40% improvement in average deviation (AD) and root-mean-square error (RMSE). The results show that the bigger the difference between δ and 1, the better improvement will be in the 3D CIT process. The initial electron density is well selected during CIT when δ is approximate to 1, which is the case at 12:00, and the reconstructed 3D electron density, applying the initial ne and the adjusted initial ne, are both close to the true electron density. The small-satellite constellation–AIS signals are valuable resources for electron density reconstruction in sea areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recursive integral terminal sliding mode control with combined extended state observer (ESO) and adaptive Kalman filter (AKF) is proposed in this article for micromechanical system gyroscopes. To accurately estimate the unmeasured system states in the presence of measurement noises, external disturbances and system uncertainties, the special combination of ESO and AKF is proposed. The AKF is employed to deal with measurement noises and prepare necessary signals for the ESO, while the ESO constantly provides the updated estimate of the lumped disturbance for the AKF. Furthermore, a robust control scheme is designed by using the recursive integral terminal sliding mode variable. Simulation results verify that more accurate unmeasured state estimation and higher tracking accuracy are achieved under the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn order to improve the efficiency and safety of shield machine cutting reinforced concrete piles, abrasive waterjets (AWJs) assisted mechanical combined cutting technology is considered a feasible solution. However, the water-rich flooding environment will cause the cutting performance of AWJs to weaken, which brings great challenges to the application of this technology. In order to analyze the influence of submerged conditions on the cutting performance of AWJs, the cross-sectional morphology of reinforced concrete piles cut by AWJs is explored using indoor experiments, and the weakening law of pile foundation cutting depth is revealed. The results show that the submerged environment greatly weakens the cutting ability, and the average cutting depth is reduced by about 20.0%. Rebar materials are more difficult to remove due to their high strength and strong plastic toughness, which is the root reason of the difficulty in cutting off piles. As the cutting times increases, the cutting depth discount factor initially decreases rapidly before stabilizing. At 380 MPa, the cutting depth discount factor remains stable at 0.49, while at 280 MPa, it stabilizes at 0.62. The findings presented in this paper can provide guidance and suggestions on waterjet parameters for AWJs assisted shield machine pile breaking.HIGHLIGHTSThe cross-sectional change rules of reinforced concrete pile foundation cut by abrasive waterjets is clarified.The depth weakening effect of pile foundations cut by abrasive waterjets under submerged conditions is revealed.The cutting depth discount factor for rebars is established.The cross-sectional change rules of reinforced concrete pile foundation cut by abrasive waterjets is clarified.The depth weakening effect of pile foundations cut by abrasive waterjets under submerged conditions is revealed.The cutting depth discount factor for rebars is established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ticks are blood-feeding significant arthropods that can harbour various microorganisms, including pathogens that pose health risks to humans and animals. Tick-symbiont microorganisms are believed to influence tick development, but the intricate interactions between these microbes and the relationships between different tick-borne microorganisms remain largely unexplored. Results: Based on 111 tick pool samples presenting questing and engorged statuses including 752 questing tick and 1083 engorged tick from cattle and goats, which were collected in two types of geographic landscape (semi-desert and alpine meadow). We observed significant variations in the composition of tick-borne microorganisms across different environments and blood-engorgement statuses, with a pronounced divergence in symbionts compared to environmental bacteria. Metabolic predictions revealed over 90 differential pathways for tick-borne microorganisms in distinct environments and more than 80 metabolic variations in response to varying blood engorgement statuses. Interestingly, nine pathways were identified, particularly related to chorismate synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism. Moreover, microbial network relationships within tick-borne microorganism groups were highly distinct across different environments and blood-engorgement statuses. The microbial network relationships of symbionts involve some pathogenic and environmental microorganisms. Regression modelling highlighted positive correlations between the Coxiella symbiont and related pathogens, while some environmental bacteria showed strong negative correlations with Coxiella abundance. We also identified commensal bacteria/pathogens in bacterial cooccurrence patterns. Furthermore, we tested pathogenic microorganisms of each tick sample analysis revealed that 86.36% (1601/1855) of the tick samples carried one or more pathogenic microorganisms, The total carrier rate of bacterial pathogens was 43.77% ((812/1855). Most blood samples carried at least one pathogenic microorganism. The pathogens carried by the ticks have both genus and species diversity, and Rickettsia species are the most abundant pathogens among all pathogens. Conclusion: Our findings underscore that the bacterial pattern of ticks is dynamic and unstable, which is influenced by the environment factors and tick developmental characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Recently, there have been attempts to improve prognostication and therefore better guide treatment for patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). In 2022, the International MTC Grading System (IMTCGS) was developed and validated using a multi‐institutional cohort of 327 patients. The aim of the current study was to build upon the findings of the IMTCGS to develop and validate a prognostic nomogram to predict recurrence‐free survival (RFS) in MTC. Methods and Results: Data from 300 patients with MTC from five centres across the USA, Europe, and Australia were used to develop a prognostic nomogram that included the following variables: age, sex, AJCC stage, tumour size, mitotic count, necrosis, Ki67 index, lymphovascular invasion, microscopic extrathyroidal extension, and margin status. A process of 10‐fold cross‐validation was used to optimize the model's performance. To assess discrimination and calibration, the area‐under‐the‐curve (AUC) of a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, concordance‐index (C‐index), and dissimilarity index (D‐index) were calculated. Finally, the model was externally validated using a separate cohort of 87 MTC patients. The model demonstrated very strong performance, with an AUC of 0.94, a C‐index of 0.876, and a D‐index of 19.06. When applied to the external validation cohort, the model had an AUC of 0.9. Conclusions: Using well‐established clinicopathological prognostic variables, we developed and externally validated a robust multivariate prediction model for RFS in patients with resected MTC. The model demonstrates excellent predictive capability and may help guide decisions on patient management. The nomogram is freely available online at https://nomograms.shinyapps.io/MTC_ML_DFS/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) members have been widely used in skyscrapers and long-span bridges. Non-uniformly distributed hydration heat during curing, inadequate compaction during construction and unavoidable shrinkage and creep of mass concrete in service most likely lead to interface debonding defects between concrete core and steel tube, which has been a common concern. The development of effective non-destructive inspection methods for interface bonding condition of existing CFST members is critical. In this study, an interface debonding defect detection method based on electromechanical impedance (EMI) measurement using surface-mounted piezoelectric-lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) sensors is proposed at first. Then, experimental study on the feasibility of the proposed approach is carried out with scaled CFST specimens with artificially mimicked interface debonding defects. EMI of surface-mounted PZT sensors at different frequency bands are measured and compared to verify the detectability of the proposed approach for the mimicked interface debonding defects. Thirdly, a multi-physics CFST-PZT coupling finite element model (FEM) with interface debonding defects is established, and EMI of surface-mounted PZT sensors at different locations is simulated. The influence of interface debonding defects on EMI measurements is illustrated. Finally, a blind inspection on the interface bonding condition of selected CFST columns in an existing skyscraper in service using the proposed approach is carried out. Both bonding and debonding defect in the tested CFST columns are detected correctly and validated with drilling hole observation. Experimental, numerical and engineering application results show the proposed approach is effective for interface debonding detection of CFST members and sensitive to minor debonding defect of 0.3 mm in CFST members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Curcubita ficifolia Bouché (Cucurbitaceae) has high value as a food crop and medicinal plant, and also has horticultural value as rootstock for other melon species. China is home to many different cultivars, but the genetic diversity of these resources and the evolutionary relationships among them, as well as the differences between C. ficifolia and other Cucurbita species, remain unclear. Results: We investigated the chloroplast (cp) genomes of 160 C. ficifolia individuals from 31 populations in Yunnan, a major C. ficifolia production area in China. We found that the cp genome of C. ficifolia is ~151 kb and contains 128 genes, of which 86 are protein coding genes, 34 encode tRNA, and eight encode rRNAs. We also identified 64 SSRs, mainly AT repeats. The cp genome was found to contain a total of 204 SNP and 57 indels, and a total of 21 haplotypes were found in the 160 study individuals. The reverse repeat (IR) region of C. ficifolia contained a few differences compared with this region in the six other Cucurbita species. Sequence difference analysis demonstrated that most of the variable regions were concentrated in the single copy (SC) region. Moreover, the sequences of the coding regions were found to be more similar among species than those of the non-coding regions. The phylogenies reconstructed from the cp genomes of 61 representative species of Cucurbitaceae reflected the currently accepted classification, in which C. ficifolia is sister to the other Cucurbita species, however, different interspecific relationships were found between Cucurbita species. Conclusions: These results will be valuable in the classification of C. ficifolia genetic resources and will contribute to our understanding of evolutionary relationships within the genus Cucurbita. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) members have been widely used in civil engineering due to their advanced mechanical properties. However, internal defects such as the concrete core voids and interface debonding in CFST structures are likely to weaken their load-carrying capacity and stiffness, which affects the safety and serviceability. Visualizing the inner defects of the concrete cores in CFST members is a critical requirement and a challenging task due to the obvious difference in the material mechanical parameters of the concrete core and steel tube in CFST members. In this study, a curved ray theory-based travel time tomography (TTT) with a least square iterative linear inversion algorithm is first introduced to quantitatively identify and visualize the sizes and positions of the concrete core voids in CFST members. Secondly, a numerical investigation of the influence of different parameters on the inversion algorithm for the defect imaging of CFST members, including the effects of the model weighting matrix, weighting factor and grid size on the void's imaging quality and accuracy, is carried out. Finally, an experimental study on six CFST specimens with mimicked concrete core void defects is performed in a laboratory and the mimicked defects are visualized. The results demonstrate that TTT can identify the sizes and positions of the concrete core void defects in CFST members efficiently with the use of optimal parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous asphalt pavements are widely used in rainy and wet areas for their skid resistance, noise reduction, runoff minimization and environmental sustainability. Long-term moisture vapor erosion and the destabilization of large pore structures can easily result in pavement problems such as fragmentation, spalling, cracking, and excessive permanent deformation. To this end, four different preventive maintenance materials, including the rejuvenation (RJ), cohesion reinforcement (CEM), polymerization reaction, and emulsified asphalt (EA) types, were selected in this paper to improve the high-viscosity porous asphalt pavement. The effects of the different preventive maintenance materials on the temperature sensitivity, rheological properties and fatigue performance of high-viscosity modified asphalt were evaluated through temperature sweep, frequency sweep, multi-stress creep recovery (MSCR), linear amplitude sweep (LAS), and bending beam rheometer (BBR) tests. The results showed that the four preventive maintenance materials exhibit different enhancement mechanisms and effects. RJ improves the fatigue properties, deformation resistance and low-temperature cracking resistance of aged asphalt by adding elastomeric components; CEM materials are more conducive to increasing the low-temperature crack resistance of aged asphalt; while GL1 and EA improve the viscoelastic behavior of aged asphalt, but the effect of the dosing ratio needs to be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Western Xihu Basin (WXB), part of the East China Sea Shelf Basin (ECSSB), demonstrates distinct structural differences between different sub-areas. Understanding the origin and mechanism of these differences is critical for unravelling the formation and evolution of the Western Xihu Basin and the ECSSB. Based on high-resolution 2D and 3D seismic data, we investigate the structural characteristics and evolution of the hinged margin and discuss the underlying formation mechanisms. The results suggest that, while controlled by NNE-, NE- and NW-striking major faults, there are distinct differences in the fault geometry, margin structure, fault displacement rate, and margin evolution in different basin areas. In contrast to the conventional division scheme which divides the WXB into three general sub-areas, our results suggest that the WXB should be divided into seven sub-areas with different tectonic structures and stress histories. The evolution of the WXB can be divided into three stages: (1) the synrift stage in the Palaeocene and early Eocene, when NNE-, NE- and NW-striking major faults were highly active and controlled the initial formation of the hinged margin structure; (2) late synrift stage in the late Eocene, when the faulting activity diminished, and the control of faults on the margin evolution decreased; (3) postrift stage from the Oligocene onwards, when active faulting ceased and sedimentation and differential basement subsidence became the main factors controlling basin evolution. The formation and reactivation of NW-striking faults under influence of the Izanagi-Pacific ridge subduction during the Mesozoic provided the basis for the differential evolution of the WXB in Cenozoic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors presents a low‐profile wideband circularly polarised (CP) millimetre‐wave (mmWave) elliptical integrated lens antenna (ILA) fabricated by dielectric 3D printing technology. The proposed lens is integrated with a dielectric polariser and an air cavity for phase compensation, which can transfer incident waves from linearly polarised (LP) to planar CP waves over a wide bandwidth. Compared to the classic bifocal ILA, the proposed lens has a low profile. The phase compensation is performed by introducing a specifically shaped air cavity, which greatly reduces the length and weight of the lens. The polariser causes the two electric field components Ex and Ey to degenerate with an orthogonal phase difference, which results in the wideband characteristics of the antenna. The polariser, air cavity and lens can be conveniently and precisely fabricated by low‐cost 3D printing technology. Measurements show that the proposed ILA has a wide axial ratio (AR) bandwidth of 21.9–32.6 GHz, while the gain reaches 22.54 dBic with a 38% size reduction and a 60.7% weight reduction. Benefiting from the low profile, high gain, wide bandwidth and low cost, the proposed ILA has great potential to be the candidate antenna for 5G applications and satellite communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The atomic crystallization behaviors at the crystal–melt interfaces in a broad range of undercoolings are investigated by molecular dynamics simulations for two representative pure metals, FCC Cu and BCC Ta. Results show that the atomic transformation displacements against temperature for both metals have the same trend, i.e., increasing significantly as temperature goes up at small undercooling and keeping invariant at large undercooling. By classifying the interfacial atomic attachment behaviors into ballistic and diffusive motions based on the displacement analysis, it is found that the crystal growth of both metals involves many ballistic attachments, and a small increment of diffusive attachments at the Ta interface leads to a significant energy barrier for crystallization comparing to that of Cu. The temperature effects on the interfacial structures and atomic dynamics to attach onto the crystal are also studied in detail, and their correlations with the different growth mechanisms at low and deep undercoolings are disclosed. Finally, the crystallization rate is proved to be dominated by the atomic transformation displacement and interfacial atomic movement rate for either metal, rather than the atomic thermal velocity or liquid diffusion coefficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previously, we revealed noticeable dynamic fluctuations in syndecan-1 levels in the peripheral blood of post-stroke patients. We further investigated the clinical prognostic value of syndecan-1 as a biomarker of glycoprotein damage in patients with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS). Methods: We examined 105 patients with acute large vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation, all of whom underwent mechanical thrombectomy (MT). Peripheral blood syndecan-1 levels were measured 1 day after MT, and patients were categorised into favourable and unfavourable prognostic groups based on the 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score. Additionally, we compared the clinical outcomes between groups with high and low syndecan-1 concentrations. Results: The findings revealed a significantly lower syndecan-1 level in the group with an unfavourable prognosis compared to those with a favourable prognosis (p < 0.01). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, lower syndecan-1 levels were identified as a predictor of unfavourable prognosis (odds ratio (OR) = 0.965, p = 0.001). Patients displaying low syndecan-1 expression in the peripheral blood (< 29.51 ng/mL) experienced a > twofold increase in the rates of unfavourable prognosis and mortality. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that syndecan-1, as an emerging, easily detectable stroke biomarker, can predict the clinical outcomes of patients with AIS. After MT, low levels of syndecan-1 in the peripheral blood on the first day emerged as an independent risk factor for an unfavourable prognosis, suggesting that lower syndecan-1 levels might signify worse clinical presentation and outcomes in stroke patients undergoing this procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of sustainable development strategies, the recycling of discarded products has become increasingly important with the development of electronic technology. Choosing the human–robot collaborative disassembly mode is the key to optimizing the disassembly process and ensuring maximum efficiency and benefits. To solve the problem of human–robot cooperative parallel dismantling line balance, a mixed integer programming model is established and verified by CPLEX. An improved Moth-Flame Optimization (IMFO) algorithm is proposed to speed up convergence and optimize the disassembly process of various products. The effectiveness of IMFO is evaluated through multiple cases and compared with other heuristics. The results of these comparisons can provide insight into whether IMFO is the most appropriate algorithm for the problem presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the crushing efficiency of drilling machinery, laser-assisted mechanical rock-breaking technology has gained wide attention in the field of engineering construction. In this method, the weakening effect of the laser on the compressive strength of the rock is a key factor of the technology. To reveal the weakening effect of the laser on the compressive strength of rocks, standard uniaxial compression tests were carried out on irradiated rocks using a uniaxial compression testing machine. The weakening effect of laser power and irradiation time on rock strength and rock failure mode was investigated. The experimental results show that the laser power and irradiation time have similar effects on the mechanical properties of the rocks. With the increase of laser power and irradiation time, the peak stress of the specimens shows a tendency to decrease rapidly and then slowly. At the same time, the rock elastic modulus decreases and peak strain increases, and the behavior eventually transform from brittle damage to plastic damage. Melting pit holes and crack networks are the root cause of the weakness of the compressive strength. On one hand, the vertical melting pit hole provides a conical free surface, which reduces the rock deformation constraint and generates stress concentration at the bottom of the hole, so that it facilitates the splitting-tension damage of the specimen. On the other hand, the axial load induces symmetric tensile cracks in the thermal cracks, and adjacent tensile cracks interpenetrate to create a surface of tensile damage, leading to fragmentation of the specimen in the form of rock blocks, ultimately undermining the rock. This work provides an improved understanding of the effect of lasers on the compressive strength of rocks in engineering applications. Highlights: The effect of laser irradiation on the compressive strength weakening of rock was investigated. Failure modes and strength weakening mechanisms of irradiated rocks were revealed. The advantage parameters of laser-assisted rock breaking were clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the lightweight and dexterous design, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are widely used to perform near-surface target detection missions in various complex environments. The camouflaged personnel detection in the images captured by the UAVs plays an essential role in the information acquisition, which determines the success of detection missions. However, the camouflaged personnel are not easily discovered due to the high similarity between the camouflage style and the background. In addition, there is only available few labeled sample images. To address above-mentioned problems, a camouflaged personnel dataset is first established, and a novel anchor-based method is then proposed to detect the camouflaged personnel. In addition, the efficient channel attention and the improved receptive fields block are added in the anchor-based convolutional network to focus on more features about the camouflaged targets. Besides, the non-maximum suppression is applied to determine the optimal bounding box on the targets. The quantitative results and visualization effects demonstrate that the mean average precision of the proposed method can reach 85%, and the recall can reach 83% on the developed dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The prognostic importance of RET and RAS mutations and their relationship to clinicopathologic parameters and outcomes in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) need to be clarified. Experimental Design: A multicenter retrospective cohort study was performed utilizing data from 290 patients with MTC. The molecular profile was determined and associations were examined with clinicopathologic data and outcomes. Results:RET germ line mutations were detected in 40 patients (16.3%). Somatic RET and RAS mutations occurred in 135 (46.9%) and 57 (19.8%) patients, respectively. RETM918T was the most common somatic RET mutation (n = 75). RET somatic mutations were associated with male sex, larger tumor size, advanced American Joint Committee Cancer (AJCC) stage, vascular invasion, and high International Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma Grading System (IMTCGS) grade. When compared with other RET somatic mutations, RETM918T was associated with younger age, AJCC (eighth edition) IV, vascular invasion, extrathyroidal extension, and positive margins. RET somatic or germ line mutations were significantly associated with reduced distant metastasis-free survival on univariate analysis, but there were no significant independent associations on multivariable analysis, after adjusting for tumor grade and stage. There were no significant differences in outcomes between RET somatic and RET germ line mutations, or between RETM918T and other RET mutations. Other recurrent molecular alterations included TP53 (4.2%), ARID2 (2.9%), SETD2 (2.9%), KMT2A (2.9%), and KMT2C (2.9%). Among them, TP53 mutations were associated with decreased overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS), independently of tumor grade and AJCC stage. Conclusions:RET somatic mutations were associated with high-grade, aggressive primary tumor characteristics, and decreased distant metastatic-free survival but this relationship was not significant after accounting for tumor grade and disease stage. RETM918T was associated with aggressive primary tumors but was not independently associated with clinical outcomes. TP53 mutation may represent an adverse molecular event associated with decreased OS and DSS in MTC, but its prognostic value needs to be confirmed in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on optical image enhancement, this paper uses convolutional neural network to detect key points of swimming posture. In swimming posture analysis, key point detection can provide information about posture accuracy and evaluation. However, due to the change of illumination conditions, the reduction of image quality and occlusion, the accuracy and stability of key point detection are limited. In order to solve this problem, an optical image enhancement method based on convolutional neural network is proposed in this paper. First, a specific convolutional neural network architecture is used to extract features from input images. Then optical image enhancement technology is used to preprocess the input image to improve the image quality. Next, the trained convolutional neural network model is used to detect key points. Experimental results show that the proposed method has good performance under different illumination conditions and image quality. Therefore, this study provides a new idea and method for the application of optical image enhancement in the detection of key points in swimming posture analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previously, we revealed noticeable dynamic fluctuations in syndecan-1 levels in the peripheral blood of post-stroke patients. We further investigated the clinical prognostic value of syndecan-1 as a biomarker of glycoprotein damage in patients with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS). Methods: We examined 105 patients with acute large vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation, all of whom underwent mechanical thrombectomy (MT). Peripheral blood syndecan-1 levels were measured 1 day after MT, and patients were categorised into favourable and unfavourable prognostic groups based on the 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score. Additionally, we compared the clinical outcomes between groups with high and low syndecan-1 concentrations. Results: The findings revealed a significantly lower syndecan-1 level in the group with an unfavourable prognosis compared to those with a favourable prognosis (p < 0.01). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, lower syndecan-1 levels were identified as a predictor of unfavourable prognosis (odds ratio (OR) = 0.965, p = 0.001). Patients displaying low syndecan-1 expression in the peripheral blood (< 29.51 ng/mL) experienced a > twofold increase in the rates of unfavourable prognosis and mortality. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that syndecan-1, as an emerging, easily detectable stroke biomarker, can predict the clinical outcomes of patients with AIS. After MT, low levels of syndecan-1 in the peripheral blood on the first day emerged as an independent risk factor for an unfavourable prognosis, suggesting that lower syndecan-1 levels might signify worse clinical presentation and outcomes in stroke patients undergoing this procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structured light illumination is widely applied for surface defect detection due to its advantages in terms of speed, precision, and non-contact capabilities. However, the high reflectivity of metal surfaces often results in the loss of point clouds, thus reducing the measurement accuracy. In this paper, we propose a novel quaternary categorization strategy to address the high-reflectivity issue. Firstly, we classify the pixels into four types according to the phase map characteristics. Secondly, we apply tailored optimization and reconstruction strategies to each type of pixel. Finally, we fuse point clouds from multi-type pixels to accomplish precise measurements of high-reflectivity surfaces. Experimental results show that our strategy effectively reduces the high-reflectivity error when measuring metal surfaces and exhibits stronger robustness against noise compared to the conventional method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In terms of flight conditions, the Martian atmospheric environment is undoubtedly much harsher than the Earth atmospheric environment, with extremely low air density, ultra-low Reynolds number, and raging Martian sandstorms, all of which have serious impacts on the design of Martian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), especially for the design of the power system. The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of the Martian atmospheric environment on the aerodynamic performance of the propeller system. The computational fluid dynamics numerical simulation was used to study the impact of varying degrees of sand and dust accumulation on the aerodynamic performance of Martian propellers caused by Martian sandstorms and widespread dust. It was found that in the Martian atmospheric environment, the rough surface of propeller blades after sand and dust accumulation has better aerodynamic performance than the smooth surface, which is greatly different from the Earth environment; The aerodynamic characteristics of the propeller are tested in the simulated Martian atmosphere vacuum chamber environment, and the experiment has shown that the propeller has better aerodynamic performance under the condition of 8° angle of attack; under the condition of 8° angle of attack, the aerodynamic performance of the propeller is simulated by different Reynolds numbers and different Mach numbers, so as to obtain the influence of the Reynolds number and the Mach number on lift–drag characteristics under the Martian atmospheric environment, and then, the modified blead element theory suitable for the Martian atmospheric environment is derived, which provides a detailed reference for the accurate modeling of the Mars UAV. It has important guiding significance for the design of flight controller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report introduces a groundbreaking technique for synthesizing carbon dots (CDs) that display both delayed fluorescence and room-temperature phosphorescence. This achievement is made possible through a straightforward solvent-thermal reaction, followed by thermal treatment. The CDs are simultaneously provided with blue fluorescence and cyan afterglow, with an afterglow quantum yield (QY) of up to 60.47%, which is an expected figure for non-metallic CDs afterglow materials. Moreover, these CDs show an average afterglow lifetime of 1.11 s with a visually recognizable period of 16 s. We subsequently demonstrate the pragmatic application of CDs in cutting-edge fields such as anti-counterfeiting security and optical information storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Childhood emotional neglect (CEN) confers a great risk for developing multiple psychiatric disorders; however, the neural basis for this association remains unknown. Using a dynamic functional connectivity approach, this study aimed to examine the effects of CEN experience on functional brain networks in young adults. Method: In total, 21 healthy young adults with CEN experience and 26 without childhood trauma experience were recruited. The childhood trauma experience was assessed using the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ), and eligible participants underwent resting-state functional MRI. Sliding windows and k-means clustering were used to identify temporal features of large-scale functional connectivity states (frequency, mean dwell time, and transition numbers). Result: Dynamic analysis revealed two separate connection states: state 1 was more frequent and characterized by extensive weak connections between the brain regions. State 2 was relatively infrequent and characterized by extensive strong connections between the brain regions. Compared to the control group, the CEN group had a longer mean dwell time in state 1 and significantly decreased transition numbers between states 1 and 2. Conclusion: The CEN experience affects the temporal properties of young adults' functional brain connectivity. Young adults with CEN experience tend to be stable in state 1 (extensive weak connections between the brain regions), reducing transitions between states, and reflecting impaired metastability or functional network flexibility. We focus solely on the childhood emotional neglect experience and its long-term effects on brain function. Eligible participants with and without childhood emotional neglect were identified through a large-scale screen among young adults. The results found childhood emotional neglect experiences have a long-term impact on brain flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Batch interface tracking and contamination control are the key technologies for the operation and management of multiproduct pipelines. Existing studies only focused on sequence arrangement or segment stoppage to control the generated contamination, and few considered this problem comprehensively and systematically. This study fully considers the contamination control process and develops a scheduling model for straight pipelines to minimize the cost of contamination loss caused by segment stoppage. The objective of this model is to minimize the restart cost of idle segments and the penalty cost due to improper interface placement during segment stoppage. Three types of constraints for contamination control are proposed, namely operation control, flow rate control, and stoppage control. Three real-world multiproduct pipelines are used as examples to validate the proposed method. Compared with the actual operation schemes, the method helps to reduce the number of stoppage operations by 20%–50%, and decrease the probability that the interface is improperly located by 40%–67%. Therefore, this work can reduce the cost of contamination treatment and bring greater benefits to pipeline operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy performance and efficiency of Pelton turbine units is the focus of attention in engineering. The countertorque of the bucket during the operation of the Pelton turbine will affect the above indicators of the unit. However, there is still a lack of systematic research on the generation mechanism of countertorque and control strategies. Numerical simulation and experimental research were conducted on a Pelton turbine. It was found that the countertorque of the bucket is generated during the initial contact stage between the jet and the suction surface of the bucket. At this time, the jet acts on the tip of the suction surface of the bucket, generating a force in the opposite direction of the bucket's rotation, resulting in the generation of countertorque. A geometric optimization method is proposed, which suppresses the countertorque by controlling the inclination angle of the bucket. As the inclination angle decreases, the countertorque, pressure, circumferential force, and entropy production rate of the bucket are effectively controlled. Compared to the original scheme, the optimal scheme reduces the maximum countertorque by 49.33% and improves the unit efficiency by 0.57%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a special issue of Grass and Forage Science focused on grassland, forage, and turfgrass science in China. The issue highlights the developments in these areas in China and includes papers on topics such as genetics and grass breeding, forage production and utilization, grassland degradation, and turfgrasses. The article emphasizes the breadth of Chinese grassland science and notes an increase in the number of papers published from China in recent years. The authors express their gratitude to those who contributed to the special issue and anticipate continued growth in research from China in the future. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Whether pretreatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) can improve the pregnancy outcomes in frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles is controversial. The inconsistencies in the results of different studies would be related to the characteristics of the included patients and the protocol of GnRHa use. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of pretreatment with a long-acting GnRH agonist in the early follicular phase of FET cycles and determined which population was suitable for the protocol. Results: We retrospectively included 630 and 1141 patients in the GnRHa FET and hormone replacement treatment (HRT) FET without GnRHa groups respectively, between October 2017 and March 2019 at a university-affiliated in vitro fertilization center. On the second or third day of menstruation, 3.75 mg of leuprorelin was administered. After 14 days, HRT was initiated for endometrial preparation. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of patient characteristics. However, the GnRHa FET group showed a higher percentage of endometrium with a triple line pattern (94.8% vs 89.6%, p < 0.001) on the day of progesterone administration, with increased implantation (35.6% vs 29.8%, p = 0.005), clinical pregnancy (49.8% vs 43.3%, p = 0.008), and live birth rate (39.4% vs 33.7%, p = 0.016), than the HRT FET cycles with similar endometrial thickness, ectopic pregnancy and early miscarriage rates. Binary logistic regression analysis showed the GnRHa FET group to be associated with an increased chance of clinical pregnancy (P=0.028, odds ratio [OR] 1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–1.70) and live birth (P=0.013, odds ratio [OR] 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06–1.70) compared to the HRT FET without GnRHa group. After subgroup analysis, we found that the GnRHa FET group showed a significantly higher live birth rate in the subgroups of age < 40 years, primary infertility, with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and irregular menstruation. Conclusions: Pretreatment with a long-acting GnRHa during the early follicular phase improved the live birth rate in FET cycles. Age < 40 years, primary infertility, PCOS, and irregular menstruation are effective indications for endometrial preparation with GnRHa pretreatment in FET cycles. However, further randomized controlled trials are required to verify these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Particulate matter (PM) is the most important hazardous pollutant and seriously affects the respiratory tract health of both animals and humans. Nowadays, the development of intensive animal husbandry not only increases PM pollution in the atmospheric environment but also harms the health of animals and ranch workers. The concentration of PM in poultry houses is higher than that for other animals, such as in pig and cow houses. However, there are few studies on the effect of fine particulate matter on pulmonary microbiota in poultry. This study aims to explore the effect of fine particulate matter on pulmonary microbiota in broilers. (1) Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) seriously affects the respiratory tract health of both animals and humans. Growing evidence indicates that the pulmonary microbiota is involved in the development of respiratory tract health; however, there is still much that is unknown about the specific changes of pulmonary microbiota caused by PM2.5 in broilers. (2) In this experiment, a total of 48 broilers were randomly divided into a control group and PM-exposure group. The experiment lasted for 21 days. Microbiota, inflammation biomarkers, and histological markers in the lungs were determined. (3) On the last day of the experiment, PM significantly disrupted the structure of lung tissue and induced chronic pulmonary inflammation by increasing IL-6, TNFα, and IFNγ expression and decreasing IL-10 expression. PM exposure significantly altered the α and β diversity of pulmonary microbiota. At the phylum level, PM exposure significantly decreased the Firmicutes abundance and increased the abundance of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria. At the genus level, PM exposure significantly increased the abundance of Rhodococcus, Achromobacter, Pseudomonas, and Ochrobactrum. We also observed positive associations of the above altered genera with lung TNFα and IFNγ expression. (4) The results suggest that PM perturbs the pulmonary microbiota and induces chronic inflammation, and the pulmonary microbiota possibly contributes to the development of lung inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composite learning control with the heterogeneous estimator is proposed to deal with the multiple uncertainties of strict‐feedback nonlinear systems. The article applies the recorded data‐based neural learning and the disturbance observer (DOB) to learn the multiple uncertainties, including the nonlinear dynamics, the unknown control gain function (CGF), and the time‐varying disturbance. The lumped prediction error is constructed and included into the update law by neural approximation and disturbance observation. Furthermore, the asymmetric saturation nonlinearity (ASN) of the control input is represented by the smooth form model to ensure the input limitation, and a projection algorithm is adopted to avoid the singularity problem. The closed‐loop system stability is rigorously analyzed and the boundedness of the system tracking error is guaranteed. Through the tests of the third‐order nonlinear system and the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), it is observed that the proposed approach can improve the system tracking accuracy with the expected learning performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research proposes a novel Trombe wall system using direct absorption solar collector based on phase change slurry (DPTW). The dynamic coupling model of the DPTW system is established, and its accuracy is verified. The indoor temperature of the room under heating conditions in January is simulated. Simulation results indicate that the DPTW system has higher indoor thermal comfort. The indoor personnel activity area temperature was within the range of 18.5–24 °C for 148.4 h, which was 167% longer than that of the traditional Trombe wall system (TW). The indoor thermal comfort index PMV is in the range of −0.5∼0.5 for 119.2 h, an increase of 121% compared with the TW system. In addition, the DPTW system reduces the heat load in winter, which is 39% less than that of the TW system in January. The proportion of solar energy utilization is higher, and the solar fraction of the DPTW system can be increased by 45% at lower temperatures. According to the performance of January, the DPTW system is more robust. Therefore, the TW system can be substituted by the DPTW system because the DPTW system can better maintain the indoor temperature and reduce heating energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a new type of three-component optic fiber balance based on Fabry–Perot displacement measurement technology based on the structure of the pulse wind tunnel balance. This paper systematically introduces the force measurement principle and design process of a three-component optic fiber balance and conducts relevant simulation analysis and experimental verification. The simulation results show that the Fabry–Perot sensor can achieve significant sensitivity to cavity length changes, and when used in existing balance structures, sensitivity gains can be achieved by changing the probe height without the need to modify the original structure of the balance. Finally, the feasibility of the design method was verified through calibration experiments: the optic fiber balance has high sensitivity and good linearity compared to simulation sensitivity, the error is less than 6%, and the calibration accuracy of each component is better than 0.13%, which is better than the existing traditional strain balance (0.37%). The pulse wind tunnel force measurement test has a short test time and a large model mass, and the balance needs to have a large stiffness to meet the short-term force measurement requirements. The introduction of more sensitive optic fiber balance force measurement technology is expected to solve the contradiction between the stiffness and sensitivity of force measurement systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the impacts of increasing model resolutions and shortening forecast lead times on the quantitative precipitation forecast (QPF) for heavy-rainfall events over south China during the rainy seasons in 2013- 2020. The control experiment, where the analysis-forecast cycles run with model resolutions of about 3 km, was compared to a lower-resolution experiment with model resolutions of about 9 km, and a longer-term experiment activated 12 hours earlier. Rainfall forecasting in the presummer rainy season was significantly improved by improving model resolutions, with more improvements in cases with stronger synoptic-scale forcings. This is partially attributed to the improved initial conditions (ICs) and subsequent forecasts for low-level jets (LLJs). Forecasts of heavy rainfall induced by landfalling tropical cyclones (TCs) benefited from increasing model resolutions in the first 6 hours. Forecast improvements in rainfall due to shortening forecast lead times were more significant at earlier (1-6 h) and later (7-12 h) lead times for cases with stronger and weaker synoptic-scale forcings, respectively, due to the area- and case-dependent improvements in ICs for nonprecipitation variables. Specifically, significant improvements mainly presented over the northern South China Sea for low-level onshore wind of weak-forcing cases but over south China for LLJs of strongforcing cases during the presummer rainy season, and over south China for all the nonprecipitation variables above the surface during the TC season. However, some disadvantages of higher-resolution and shorter-term forecasts in QPFs highlight the importance of developing ensemble forecasting with proper IC perturbations, which include the complementary advantages of lower-resolution and longer-term forecasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mine microseismic signal denoising is a basic and crucial link in microseismic data processing, which influences the accuracy and reliability of the monitoring system, and is of great significance with regard to safety during mining. Therefore, this study introduces a deep learning method to improve the mapping function and sparsity of signals in the time-frequency domain and constructs a denoising framework based on a deep convolutional autoencoder to address the denoising problem of mine microseismic signals. First, all noisy microseismic signals are normalized to ensure the nonlinear expression ability of the constructed denoising framework. Then, the normalized signals are transformed into the time-frequency domain using the short-time Fourier transform (STFT), and the real and imaginary parts of time-frequency coefficients serve as the input of the deep convolutional autoencoder to output the masks of the effective and noise signals. Next, these masks are applied to the time-frequency coefficients of the noisy microseismic signals, and the time-frequency coefficients of the potentially effective and noise signals are estimated. Finally, inverse STFT is used to transform these time-frequency coefficients to the time domain to obtain the final denoised effective and noise signals. The constructed framework automatically learns rich features from synthetic data to separate the effective and noise signals, thereby achieving the purpose of fast and automatic denoising. The experimental results show that compared with the wavelet threshold and ensemble empirical mode decomposition, the denoising framework considerably improves the signal-to-noise ratio of mine microseismic signals with less waveform distortion. Moreover, it can achieve a better denoising effect efficiently even in the case of a low SNR, which has obvious advantages. The constructed denoising framework is suitable for microseismic monitoring signals of various mine dynamic disasters and provides strong technical support for intelligent monitoring and early warning concerning production risks in mines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]