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In this paper, we consider the variable-order time fractional mobile/immobile diffusion (TF-MID) equation in two-dimensional spatial domain, where the fractional order α (t) satisfies 0 < α ⁎ ≤ α (t) ≤ α ⁎ < 1. We combine the quadratic spline collocation (QSC) method and the L 1 + formula to propose a QSC- L 1 + scheme. It can be proved that, the QSC- L 1 + scheme is unconditionally stable and convergent with O (τ min ⁡ { 3 − α ⁎ − α (0) , 2 } + Δ x 2 + Δ y 2) , where τ , Δ x and Δ y are the temporal and spatial step sizes, respectively. With some restrictions on α (t) , the QSC- L 1 + scheme has second order convergence in time even on the uniform mesh, without any restrictions on the solution of the equation. We further construct a novel alternating direction implicit (ADI) framework to develop an ADI-QSC- L 1 + scheme, which has the same unconditionally stability and convergence orders. In addition, a fast implementation for the ADI-QSC- L 1 + scheme based on the exponential-sum-approximation (ESA) technique is proposed. Moreover, we also introduce the optimal QSC method to improve the spatial convergence to fourth-order. Numerical experiments are attached to support the theoretical analysis, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the gradual development of renewable energy, search for high-performance energy storage materials as anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has become urgent. Two-dimensional (2D) materials are considered as candidates for anode materials due to their unique structure and physicochemical properties. Based on first-principles calculations, we propose a 2D material, BC12 monolayer, as an excellent anode for LIBs. BC12 exhibits outstanding dynamic, mechanical, and thermal stability. In addition, BC12 monolayers show not only remarkably high storage capacity (2767.57 mA h g−1) but also low diffusion barrier energy (0.175 eV) and appropriate open circuit voltage (0.3 V). A small volume expansion (0.38%) is also observed during the lithiation process. Furthermore, we undertake a comprehensive analysis on the impact of carbon vacancy in BC12. The presence of carbon vacancy makes the adsorption and diffusion of Li relatively weak, which should be carefully handled in the experimental synthesis process. The above-mentioned investigation offers valuable insights and guidance for the future development and application of 2D anode materials in metal-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated fasting hypertriglyceridemia as predictors of all‐cause, cardiovascular, and non‐cardiovascular mortality in an elderly male Chinese population, while accounting for various conventional cardiovascular risk factors. Our participants were elderly men recruited from residents living in a suburban town of Shanghai (≥60 years of age, n = 1583). Hypertriglyceridemia was defined as a fasting serum triglycerides concentration ≥1.70 mmol/L. Subgroup analyses were performed according to current smoking (yes vs. no), alcohol intake (yes vs. no), and the presence and absence of hypertension and hyperglycemia. During a median of 7.9 years follow‐up, all‐cause, cardiovascular, and non‐cardiovascular deaths occurred in 279, 112, and 167 participants, respectively. After adjustment for confounding factors, fasting hypertriglyceridemia was not significantly (p ≥ .33) associated with the risk of all‐cause, cardiovascular, and non‐cardiovascular mortality. However, there was significant (p = .03) interaction between hypertriglyceridemia and the presence and absence of hypertension in relation to all‐cause mortality. In normotensive, but not hypertensive individuals, hypertriglyceridemia was significantly associated with a higher risk of all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.57, 95% confidence interval 1.06–2.31). In further non‐parametric analyses in normotensive individuals, the age‐standardized rate for all‐cause mortality increased from 18.9 in quartile 1 to 20.0, to 24.7, and to 39.9 per 1000 person‐years in quartiles 2, 3, and 4 of serum triglycerides concentration, respectively (ptrend = .0004). Similar results were observed for cardiovascular mortality. Our study in elderly male Chinese showed that fasting hypertriglyceridemia was associated with a higher risk of all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with normotension but not those with hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive vibration of stay cables in strong winds has been a concern for bridge operators, which impairs the durability of both the cables and the bridge structure. This paper develops a data-driven approach to predict the amplitude of the cable vibration using an ensemble learning model. The model aims to predict cable vibrations in both in-plane and out-of-plane directions, with the wind speed, wind direction, turbulence intensity, and deck acceleration as input variables. Especially, the deck acceleration is included considering the deck-cable interaction and vehicle effects, which significantly improved the accuracy of the prediction. Furthermore, the model is interpreted with local interpretable model-agnostic explanations (LIME) and partial dependence plot (PDP) methods. The former demonstrates the relative importance of input variables on a global scale, and the latter indicates the correlation between individual input variables with the prediction target. The investigation is validated using the data harnessed from structural health monitoring (SHM) of a 1088-m cable-stayed bridge during three typhoon events. The adopted Gradient boosting regression tree (GBRT) model demonstrated better performance than other state-of-the-art machine learning models. The developed approach can provide guidance on preventive maintenance of stay cables to avoid damage due to excessive vibration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alterations in the intestinal microbiota may play a role in the pathogenesis of functional bowel disorders (FBDs). Probiotics are widely used to improve intestinal dysbacteriosis in FBDs. In the context of FBDs, washed microbiota transplantation (WMT) appear to be a promising therapeutic option. We aimed to compare probiotics with WMT by using a propensity-score matching analysis (PSMA). Methods: We conducted a retrospective investigation of 103 patients with FBDs, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional constipation (FC), functional diarrhea (FDr), functional abdominal bloating (FAB). Patients were divided into the WMT group or probiotics group (taking probiotics capsules). Data on the following parameters were matched for PSMA: age; sex; disease course; body mass index; anxiety; insomnia; tobacco smoking; alcohol consumption; and levels of D-lactate, diamine oxidase, and lipopolysaccharide. Intestinal barrier function (IBF) and symptoms were evaluated both before and after treatment initiation. Prognostic factors were assessed by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Results: PSMA identified in 34 matched pairs (11 IBS, 12 FC, 7 FDr, and 4 FAB in the probiotics group and 14 IBS, 13 FC, 5 FDr, and 2 FAB in the WMT group. Improvement of FBD symptoms was greater with WMT than probiotics (P = 0.002). The WMT group had significantly fewer patients with intestinal barrier damage than the probiotics group (38.2% vs. 67.6%, P = 0.041). This improvement of FBD with WMT was further reflected as a reduction in D-lactate levels (P = 0.031). Increased D-lactate levels which were identified as a prognostic factor for FBDs (HR = 0.248, 95%CI 0.093–0.666, P = 0.006) in multivariate Cox regression analysis. Conclusion: WMT could improve symptoms and IBF in patients with FBDs. Increased D-lactate levels in patients with FBDs may predict a favorable response to WMT treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal quadratic spline collocation (QSC) method has been widely used in various problems due to its high-order accuracy, while the corresponding numerical analysis is rarely investigated since, e.g., the perturbation terms result in the asymmetry of optimal QSC discretization. We present numerical analysis for the optimal QSC method in two space dimensions via discretizing a nonlinear time-fractional diffusion equation for demonstration. The L2-1 σ formula on the graded mesh is used to account for the initial solution singularity, leading to an optimal QSC–L2-1 σ scheme where the nonlinear term is treated by the extrapolation. We provide the existence and uniqueness of the numerical solution, as well as the second-order temporal accuracy and fourth-order spatial accuracy with proper grading parameters. Furthermore, we consider the fast implementation based on the sum-of-exponentials technique to reduce the computational cost. Numerical experiments are performed to verify the theoretical analysis and the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cables are important components of long-span bridge structures, whose operation is significantly affected by cable force changes. Nowadays, cable force testing is performed by physical methods; that is, sensors are installed on the cable structure to monitor its force changes. Obviously, this strategy requires an extensive amount of time to achieve cable force calculation, which makes it impossible to monitor the force of the cable structure in real time. Meanwhile, smartphones have attracted extensive attention in the field of structural health monitoring (SHM) because of their higher cost-effectiveness than accelerometers, which include price and lifespan. Besides, many people own a smartphone, which leads to the possibility of a wider range of applications. Therefore, this paper presents a framework for the rapid estimation of the cable force of long-span bridges based on smartphones-captured video and a template matching algorithm. First, the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) method with wavelet decomposition (WD) method, that is, the EMDWD model, is constructed to extract the vibration signal of the bridge cable by eliminating the effects of smartphone vibration and environmental noise on the measured dynamic displacement, thus effectively improving the accuracy of data processing. In addition, the vibration identification model of bridge cable based on a template matching algorithm is established, and the deformation curve of cable is obtained. Finally, the frequency of bridge suspender is calculated by the Fourier transform method (FFT), and the cable force is estimated based on the smartphone-captured video. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advancement of engineering techniques, underground shield tunneling projects have also started incorporating emerging technologies to monitor the forces and displacements during the construction and operation phases of shield tunnels. Monitoring devices installed on the tunnel segment components generate a large amount of data. However, due to various factors, data may be missing. Hence, the completion of the incomplete data is imperative to ensure the utmost safety of the engineering project. In this research, a missing data imputation technique utilizing Random Forest (RF) is introduced. The optimal combination of the number of decision trees, maximum depth, and number of features in the RF is determined by minimizing the Mean Squared Error (MSE). Subsequently, complete soil pressure data are artificially manipulated to create incomplete datasets with missing rates of 20%, 40%, and 60%. A comparative analysis of the imputation results using three methods—median, mean, and RF—reveals that this proposed method has the smallest imputation error. As the missing rate increases, the mean squared error of the Random Forest method and the other two methods also increases, with a maximum difference of about 70%. This indicates that the random forest method is suitable for imputing monitoring data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The critical role of auxin on secondary vascular development in woody plants has been demonstrated. The concentration gradient of endogenous indole-3-acetic acid and the cellular and molecular pathways contributing to the auxin-directed vascular organization and wood growth have been uncovered in recent decades. However, our understanding of the roles and regulations of auxin influx in wood formation in trees remains limited. Here, we reported that a microRNA, miR7833, participates in the negative regulation of stem cambial cell division and secondary xylem development in Populus tomentosa. The miR7833 is mainly expressed in the vascular cambium during stem radical growth and specifically targets and represses two AUX/LAX family auxin influx carriers, AUX5 and AUX6 , in poplar. We further revealed that poplar AUX6 , the most abundant miR7833 target in the stem, is preferentially enriched in the developing xylem and is a positive regulator for cell division and differentiation events during wood formation. Moreover, inhibition of auxin influx carriers by 1-naphthoxyacetic acids abolished the regulatory effects of miR7833 and AUX6 on secondary xylem formation in poplar. Our results revealed the essential roles of the miR7833- AUX6 module in regulating cellular events in secondary xylem development and demonstrated an auxin influx-dependent mechanism for wood formation in poplar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a data-driven approach for updating the fatigue failure probability of the orthotropic steel deck (OSD) using Bayesian backward propagation. The OSD in steel bridges is considered as a parallel system composed of two critical fatigue-prone components, namely, the rib-to-diaphragm and rib-to-deck joints. A probabilistic model for fatigue reliability is established based on the equivalent structural stress method and limit state function. The system-level fatigue reliability model is then constructed, taking into account the correlations between limit states of individual components through Bayesian network forward propagation. The key advantage of the Bayesian network-based framework is its ability to perform backward propagation, allowing for the updating of failure probabilities for critical components when the system-level failure of the OSD is observed. Consequently, the proposed approach enables the identification of vulnerable components through data-driven fatigue failure probability updating. Finally, the approach is applied to a real instrumented steel bridge to determine the time-dependent fatigue failure probability at both the system and component levels over its service life. The results show that the component-level fatigue failure probability model will underestimate the fatigue life in comparison to the system-level model. Meanwhile, the proposed method could identify vulnerable components by quantifying the fatigue failure probability of in-service steel bridges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of large-diameter shield tunnels underwater involves complex variations in water and earth load outside the tunnel segment, as well as intricate mechanical responses. This study analyzes the variation laws of external loads, axial forces, and bending moments acting on the segment ring during the shield assembly and removal from the shield tail. It accomplishes this through the establishment of an on-site monitoring system based on the Internet of Things (IoT) and proposes a Bayesian-genetic algorithm model to estimate the water and earth pressure. The fluctuation section exhibits a peak load twice as high as that in the stable section. These variations are influenced by Jack thrust, shield shell force, and grouting pressure. The peak load observed in the fluctuation section is twice as high as the load observed in the stable section. During the shield tail removal process, the internal forces undergo significant fluctuations due to changes in both load and boundary conditions, and the peak value of the axial force during the fluctuation section is eight times higher than that during the stable section, while the peak value of the bending moment during the fluctuation section is five times higher than that during the stable section. The earth and water pressure calculated using the inversion analysis method, which relies on the measured internal forces, closely matches the actual measured values. The results demonstrate that the accuracy of the water and earth pressure obtained through inversion analysis is twice as high as that obtained using the full coverage pressure method. These results can serve as a valuable reference for similar projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The confining pressure has a great effect on the internal force of the tunnel. During construction, the confining pressure which has a crucial impact on tunnel construction changes due to the variation of groundwater level and applied load. Therefore, the safety of tunnels must have the magnitude of confining pressure accurately estimated. In this study, a complete tunnel confining pressure time axis was obtained through high-frequency field monitoring, the data are segmented into a training set and a testing set. Using GRU and RNN models, a confining pressure prediction model was established, and the prediction results were analyzed. The results indicate that the GRU model has a fast-training speed and higher accuracy. On the other hand, the training speed of the RNN model is slow, with lower accuracy. The dynamic characteristics of soil pressure during tunnel construction require accurate prediction models to maintain the safety of the tunnel. The comparison between GRU and RNN models not only highlights the advantages of the GRU model but also emphasizes the necessity of balancing speed accuracy in tunnel construction confining pressure prediction modeling. This study is helpful in improving the understanding of soil pressure dynamics and developing effective prediction tools to promote safer and more reliable tunnel construction practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To describe the phenomenon of platoon dispersion in the mixed traffic environment and provide a theoretical basis for signal timing optimization in the mixed traffic environment. Based on Robertson's platoon dispersion model, this paper fully considers the characteristics of mixed traffic conditions, and models the platoon dispersion in the mixed traffic environment. Firstly, considering the influence of the percentage of non-motor vehicles on the platoon dispersion, the functional relationship between the percentage of non-motor vehicles and the parameters of the platoon dispersion model is derived, and the parameters of the Robertson platoon dispersion model are calibrated. Secondly, through the data collected from Zitai Road in the city of Kunming, the required model parameters are calculated, and the arrival flow rate distribution downstream of the intersection is obtained. Finally, according to the measured data, the proposed model is compared with the classical Robertson model. The results show that compared with the Robertson model, the average prediction mean square error of the proposed model is reduced by 5.89%, which can better describe the dispersion law of the mixed traffic under the influence of different percentage of non-motorized vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of semiconductors and transition metal compounds for Fenton‐like application has been widely reported. However, there are still some problems that can be further studied such as the optimization of metal species and in‐depth research of mechanism. In this paper, using melamine and copper acetate as raw materials, a kind of composite of copper oxide and graphitic carbon nitride (CuO/g‐C3N4) is synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method. The synthetic conditions such as type of transition metal salt and ratio of raw material are further optimized. With the presence of H2O2, the CuO/g‐C3N4 composite shows exceptional broad‐spectrum Fenton‐like catalytic performance against the organic dyes in aqueous solution within a wide pH range, and the highest degradation rate of organic dyes can reach 99% within 10 min. After eight times of recycling, the catalytic activity of the composite can still remain more than 85%. More importantly, the CuO/g‐C3N4 composite presented excellent anti‐interference ability toward heavy metal ions and complex pollutants. Finally, the enhanced Fenton‐like catalytic mechanism is illustrated in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to global public health since its outbreak. The Qing-Fei-Pai-Du decoction (QFPDD), a Chinese herbal formula, is widely used in China to treat COVID-19. It exerts an impressive therapeutic effect by inhibiting the progression from mild to critical disease in the clinic. However, the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Both SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses elicit similar pathological processes. Their severe manifestations, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), multiple organ failure (MOF), and viral sepsis, are correlated with the cytokine storm. During flu infection, QFPDD reduced the lung indexes and downregulated the expressions of MCP-1, TNF- α , IL-6, and IL-1 β in broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF), lungs, or serum samples. The infiltration of neutrophils and inflammatory monocytes in lungs was decreased dramatically, and lung injury was ameliorated in QFPDD-treated flu mice. In addition, QFPDD also inhibited the polarization of M1 macrophages and downregulated the expressions of IL-6, TNF- α , MIP-2, MCP-1, and IP-10, while also upregulating the IL-10 expression. The phosphorylated TAK1, IKK α / β , and I κ B α and the subsequent translocation of phosphorylated p65 into the nuclei were decreased by QFPDD. These findings indicated that QFPDD reduces the intensity of the cytokine storm by inhibiting the NF- κ B signaling pathway during severe viral infections, thereby providing theoretical and experimental support for its clinical application in respiratory viral infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SARS-CoV-2 relies on the recognition of the spike protein by the host cell receptor ACE2 for cellular entry. In this process, transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) plays a pivotal role, as it acts as the principal priming agent catalyzing spike protein cleavage to initiate the fusion of the cell membrane with the virus. Thus, TMPRSS2 is an ideal pharmacological target for COVID-19 therapy development, and the effective production of high–quality TMPRSS2 protein is essential for basic and pharmacological research. Unfortunately, as a mammalian–originated protein, TMPRSS2 could not be solubly expressed in the prokaryotic system. In this study, we applied different protein engineering methods and found that an artificial protein XXA derived from an antifreeze protein can effectively promote the proper folding of TMPRSS2, leading to a significant improvement in the yield of its soluble form. Our study also showed that the fused XXA protein did not influence the enzymatic catalytic activity; instead, it greatly enhanced TMPRSS2′s thermostability. Therefore, our strategy for increasing TMPRSS2 expression would be beneficial for the large–scale production of this stable enzyme, which would accelerate aniti–SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the excellent anode materials for metal-ion batteries is a hot spot in the energy storage field. Based on first-principles calculations, we propose two-dimensional (2D) silicether monolayer to be an outstanding anode for magnesium-ion batteries (MIBs). The relatively large adsorption energy (1.00 eV) for single Mg atom indicates good structural stability. Silicether could undergo the transition from semiconductor to metal even at a low Mg concentration (0.0625). Furthermore, silicether exhibits the low diffusion barrier (0.21 eV), the maximum storage capacity of 744 mAh g−1, and a suitable open-circuit voltage (0.69–0.84 eV). A slight deformation and volume changes during full intercalation of Mg reveal a favorable cyclability. The above results suggest that silicether could be a promising candidate for MIBs. Silicether as a new anode material for MIBs: fast ion mobility, high storage capacity,and appropriate OCV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium-ion batteries (MIBs) are expected to be an alternative to lithium-ion batteries due to the lower cost and immanent safety of Mg. Presently, the major difficulty in breaking through MIBs technology is the lack of desirable anode materials. Based on first-principles calculations, we predict a two-dimensional material named the Be2B monolayer as an excellent anode material. The structural stability is confirmed by superior cohesive energy, positive phonon modes, excellent thermal stability, and strong mechanical stability. Afterward, we explore the performance of the Be2B monolayer as the anode material for MIBs. It exhibits stable Mg atom adsorption with an energy of −0.7 eV, low diffusion barrier (0.1 eV), ultra-high specific capacity (7436 mA h g−1), tiny lattice expansion (0.3%), and low average open-circuit voltage (0.29 V). Thereby, the above-mentioned intriguing findings suggest that the Be2B monolayer can act as a promising anode material for high performance MIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is one of the world's diseases that endanger human health, causing systemic inflammation caused by excessive reactive oxygen damage. An increase in the proportion of obese people with reduced sperm motility has been reported. But the mechanism behind it remains unclear. Peroxiredoxin 2 (PRDX2) is a member of the peroxidase family that effectively removes hydrogen peroxide. This study is to clarify the expression of PRDX2 in the testes of obese mice and lay a foundation for further exploration of the regulatory and protective effects of PRDX2 on spermatogenesis. A model of high-fat-induced obesity in animals was constructed, and the expression of PRDX2 in the testes of the two groups was detected by immunohistochemistry, western blotting, immunofluorescence and other techniques. Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) and cholesterol were co-cultured in testicular support cells for 48 h to observe the expression of PRDX2. PRDX2 expression was reduced in the testes of the obese group, and immunohistochemistry showed that it was mainly localized to supporting cells. H 2 O 2 inhibits the expression of PRDX2 in Sertoli cells, and high cholesterol upregulates the expression of PRDX2 in Sertoli cells. PRDX2 has some antioxidant properties against changes in the testicular environment caused by HFD. And under short-term oxidative stress to enhance its antioxidant capacity. PRDX2 may be involved in maintaining the oxidative balance of the spermatogenesis environment. • Describe the relationship between PRDX2 and spermatogenesis in mice of obesity induced asthenospermia. • Provide new treatment ideas for patients with obesity and asthenospermia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Trimeresurus stejnegeri (T.s) accounts for most snakebites in southern China, which always leads to coagulation dysfunction. Coagulopathy due to venom is widely considered to be a characteristic phenomenon of the DIC-like syndrome. It is vitally important for first-line clinicians to improve this condition as soon as possible. However, clinical factors associated with coagulation function in Trimeresurus stejnegeri has not been well characterized yet. Materials. Patients bitten by vipers were admitted to the Emergency Department of a hospital in Shenzhen, southern China, from 2021 to 2022 and were retrospectively reviewed. Patient clinical characteristics and laboratory data were compared in the eligible patients bitten by T.s by their prothrombin time (PT), fibrinogen level (FIB), and platelet count on 2-3 days after bitten. Results. 105 patients were included in this study. The mean values of PT, FIB, and PLT are as follows: 12.8 ± 0.79 s, 2.25 ± 0.47 g/L, and 196.2 ± 57.1 × 109/L. Uric acid (UA) (367.9 ± 103.85), blood glucose (6.53 + 1.64) show negative trend of correlation, while CRP (2.12 + 4.17) shows positive trend of association with coagulation function. The smoke and systolic blood pressure may exert negative effects on PT and PLT, respectively. Logistic regression analysis indicated that uric acid (UA) shows significant connection with PT (OR = 1.15 and P value <0.0001), FIB (OR = 0.89 and P value = 0.026), and PLT (OR = 0.79 and P value = 0.007). CRP is also shown to be associated with FIB (OR = 1.33 and P value = 0.043).Conclusion: Uric acid (UA) shows a significant association with PT, FIB, and PLT. CRP is related to FIB. Blood glucose shows a negative trend of correlation with PT. We do recommend physician should low the level of UA in some degree on the basis of injection of an antivenom serum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the wind speed prediction, many researchers have established prediction models based on machine learning methods, statistical methods, and theoretical methods, that is, direct methods. However, the direct method cannot be widely used in the wind direction prediction because the wind direction has strong randomness and uncertainty. In order to solve this problem, this paper proposed a wind direction prediction method, that is, indirect method. Specifically, the wind speed is decomposed into crosswind speed and alongwind speed considering the correlation between wind speed and wind direction. The crosswind speed and alongwind speed are predicted based on long short-term memory (LSTM) model with empirical mode decomposition (EMD), and then, the wind direction prediction value can be calculated, that is, the wind direction prediction is realized. One-month wind monitoring data collected by the structural health monitoring (SHM) system installed on investigated bridge are employed to demonstrate the effectiveness of direct and indirect prediction for forecasting the wind speed and wind direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are promising candidates for large-scale energy storage due to the abundance and low cost of sodium. However, graphite, the primary anode for commercial lithium-ion batteries, cannot be applied to SIBs. Its two-dimensional (2D) counterpart graphene is also inactive toward Na ions because of the delocalized π-electron network. We propose an idea to tackle this problem by introducing kagome topology into the honeycomb lattice, creating localized electronic states for improving the Na storage performance. Herein, we design a form of 2D carbon allotrope (named FSL-graphene), consisting of a kagome and a honeycomb sublattice. It has excellent stability, which is confirmed by the superior cohesive energy, positive phonon modes, high thermal stability, and strong mechanical stability. FSL-graphene exhibits an ultra-high theoretical Na storage capacity of 3347.1 mA h g−1, superior to most previously reported 2D anode materials. In addition, it possesses low diffusion energy barriers (0.19–0.23 eV), low open-circuit voltages (0.59–0.61 V), and small changes in lattice constants (1.3%). Furthermore, the electrolytes with high dielectric constants (e.g., ethylene carbonate) could improve the adsorption and migration of Na on FSL-graphene. This study provides an insight for designing high-performance carbon anode materials for SIBs by focusing on the topological lattices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was to investigate the different CP/ME ratios diets on growth performance and development of Hermetia illucens and the life development of population. A total of 1 800 Hermetia illucens were selected and randomly divided into six groups, with three replicates in each group and 100 Hermetia illucen in each replicate. A1 group, A2 group, A3 group, A4 group, A5 group and A6 group were fed with 11.23, 12.01, 14.03, 14.54, 15.12 and 16.09 g/MJ diet, respectively. Test was stopped when all larvae became prepupate. The results showed that crude protein and crude fat content of Hermetia illucens in A4 group were significantly higher than other groups ( P<0.05). The content of hydrophobic amino acids in each group were about 40%, and the content of valine, leucine and histidine in Hermetia illucen in A4 group and A5 group were significantly higher than other groups (P<0.05), the net proliferation rate ( R0) of Hermetia illucen in A4 group and A5 group were significantly higher than other groups (P<0.05). The experiment indicates that when the feed to egg ratio is 14.54 and 15.12 g/MJ, it can increase the crude protein and crude fat content of Hermetia illucen, improve the amino acid composition of improve, which is favorable to Hermetia illucen reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol consumption is a proven risk factor of dyslipidemia. In the present analysis, we investigated the association of alcohol intake with dyslipidemia, an emerging epidemic in China, in male patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Our study participants were from a nationwide registry (n = 1181). A questionnaire was administered to collect information on alcohol intake. Dyslipidemia was defined as an elevated concentration of serum triglycerides (≥2.3 mmol/L), total (≥6.2 mmol/L) or low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (≥4.1 mmol/L), or a reduced high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (< 1.0 mmol/L). Serum concentrations of triglycerides (1.60 mmol/L) and total (4.93 mmol/L) and LDL cholesterol (2.95 mmol/L) were highest with current usual drinking, with a significant P value for trend from never (n = 679) to ever (n = 107) and to rare (n = 187) and usual drinkers (n = 208, P ≤.002). Serum HDL cholesterol (1.13 mmol/L) was lowest in ever drinkers, with a nonsignificant P value for trend (P =.22). The prevalence was highest in usual drinkers for hypertriglyceridemia (27.4%) and total (12.5%) and LDL hypercholesterolemia (8.7%), and in ever drinkers for low HDL cholesterol (34.6%). The P value for trend was significant for hypertriglyceridemia and total hypercholesterolemia (P ≤.01), but not for LDL hypercholesterolemia or low HDL cholesterol (P ≥.26). The between‐province ecological analysis showed that the proportion of usual drinking was significantly associated with the prevalence of any dyslipidemia across 10 China provinces (r =.42, P <.0001). In conclusion, alcohol drinkers showed a worse lipid profile in patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Usual drinking ecologically explained the between‐province variation in the prevalence of dyslipidemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid and accurate assessment of the damage to bridge structures after an earthquake can provide a basis for decision‐making regarding post‐earthquake emergency work. However, the traditional structural damage inspection techniques are subjective, time‐consuming, and inefficient. This paper proposed a framework for rapid post‐earthquake structural damage inspection and condition assessment by integrating the technologies of satellite, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and smartphone with the deep learning approach. The images of structural components of post‐earthquake bridges can be obtained by UAVs and smartphones. Furthermore, the multi‐task high‐resolution net (MT‐HRNet) model was adopted to recognize the structural components and damage conditions by weighting and combining the loss functions of a single‐task HRNet model. The performance of the proposed MT‐HRNet model and the single‐task HRNet model was verified based on the Tokaido dataset, which includes 2000 images of post‐earthquake bridges. The results showed that the MT‐HRNet model and the HRNet model exhibited equivalent recognition accuracy, while the number of floating‐point‐operations (FLOPs) and the parameters of the MT‐HRNet model were reduced by 46.48% and 49.58% compared with the HRNet model. In addition, a method for the determination of the safety risk level of the post‐earthquake bridge structures was developed, and the evaluation indices were established by considering the damage type, the spalling area, and the width of cracks as well as the recognition statistics of all images in Tokaido dataset. This study will provide a valuable reference for the rapid determination of structural safety level and the corresponding treatment measures of post‐earthquake bridges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interesting to assess the condition of a structure with structural health monitoring data has gained many attentions. Most of the existing methods require the measurement at the force location. This paper presents a novel output‐only condition assessment method that does not require measurement at the force location. The unknown structural damage indices and input force can be identified with the stochastic gradient descent method. The dynamic acceleration response sensitivities with respect to the unknown structural damage indices and input force are derived analytically. Both unknown damage indices and unknown input force can be identified by minimizing the discrepancy between the measured and calculated vibration data. Numerical studies on a two‐dimensional truss and seven‐floor frame and experimental studies on a steel frame structure are presented to verify the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method. Results demonstrate that the damage severity, location, and unknown input force can be identified. Also, the measurement at the force location is not required. Furthermore, when 20% measurement noise is considered, the identified error is less than 5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbal medicine pair, composed of two single herbs, is a relatively fixed minimum prescription unit in the traditional Chinese medicine's formula and has special significance in clinic. The combination of Xiangfu (the rhizoma of Cyperus rotundus L, XF) and Chuanxiong (the rhizoma of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort, CX) has been recoded as an herbal medicine pair XF-CX in the Yuan Dynasty (1347 CE) of China and widely used in traditional Chinese medicine formula, including Chaihu Shugan San , which has been clinically used for treatment of depression. However, the optimal ratio of the XF-CX herbal medicine pair and its antidepressant constituents are still unclear. Herein, the antidepressive-like effects of XF-CX herbal medicine pairs with different ratios of XF and CX (2:1, 1:1, 1:2) were evaluated using behavioral despair animal models in mice, and then its potential antidepressant constituents were recognized by spectrum-effect relationship analyses. Finally, the potential antidepressant constituents of the XF-CX herbal medicine pair were validated by molecular docking with glucocorticoid receptor and corticosterone (CORT)-induced PC12 cell injury model. The results indicated that different ratios of XF-CX pairs had antidepressive-like effects, and the XF-CX (2:1) exhibited a more significant effect. Thirty-two potential antidepressant constituents in the XF-CX herbal medicine pair were screened out from the spectrum-effect relationship combined molecular docking analyses. Among them, senkyunolide A, cyperotundone, Z -ligustilide, and levistilide A were validated to have protective effects against CORT-induced injury in PC12 cells. Our findings not only obtained the optimal ratio of XF-CX in the herbal medicine pair for the treatment of depression but also its potential antidepressant constituents, which will benefit in elucidating the mechanism of action and promoting the application of the herbal medicine pair in the clinic. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reservoir landslides are typical geohazards with sophisticated thermo‐hydro‐mechanical interactions. However, direct observations of subsurface multi‐physical processes in bank slopes remain rare. Herein we present the design, implementation and evaluation of an innovative fiber‐optic nerve system based on weak‐reflection fiber Bragg grating to monitor a giant landslide located in the Three Gorges Reservoir region, China. The system is capable of measuring and imaging spatiotemporal distributions of temperature, moisture and strain along boreholes in near real‐time. Such visual profiles offer unique insights into the subsurface thermo‐hydro‐mechanical link between external conditions and geotechnical deformation, making it possible to decipher the substantial trigger of accelerated movements. Multi‐physical responses at depths of interest also enable us to better understand the evolution mechanism of reservoir landslides. Fiber‐optic nerve sensing can synergize with remote sensing and surface‐based technologies to build a space‐sky‐ground‐subsurface integrated monitoring system for landslides. Plain Language Summary: Field monitoring of multi‐physical processes of reservoir landslides in the context of extreme weather events has remained challenging. Here we present the design, implementation and evaluation of a novel fiber‐optic nerve system (FONS) and the results and interpretation of recent FONS monitoring at the Outang landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir region, China. The spatiotemporal profiles of subsurface temperature, moisture and strain are obtained, which enable us to understand the subsurface thermo‐hydro‐mechanical interactions. The deep‐seated slip surface has been successfully identified, together with a shallower one newly generated in the rear section of the landslide. We further verify that precipitation was the substantial trigger of accelerated deformation in the rear slope, and argue that short‐duration high‐intensity extreme rainfall was most likely to drive an abrupt movement. The monitoring system allows us to investigate the characteristics and mechanism of specific deformation acceleration events from daily to annual time series and relate the thermo‐hydro‐mechanical behaviors of sliding masses to creeping motion and progressive failure. Key Points: The fiber‐optic nerve system with weak‐reflection fiber Bragg gratings produces multi‐physical spatiotemporal profiles at high resolutionsThermo‐hydro‐mechanical responses at the slip surface uncover subsurface‐scale landslide kinematics, hydrological transport and retentionShort‐duration high‐intensity rainfalls promote landslide dynamics relative to uniform‐intensity rainfalls of similar amount and duration [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are thought to have a malignant potential. However, utilizing endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) to differentiate GISTs from other types of subepithelial lesions (SELs) remains challenging. Artificial intelligence (AI)‐based diagnostic systems for EUS have been reported to have a promising performance, although the results of the previous studies remain controversial. In this meta‐analysis, we aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of AI‐based EUS in distinguishing GISTs from other SELs. Methods: A literature search was conducted on MEDLINE and EMBASE databases to identify relevant articles. The sensitivity, specificity, and area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of eligible studies were analyzed. Results: Seven studies were eligible for the final analysis. The combined sensitivity and specificity of AI‐based EUS were 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.88–0.96) and 0.78 (95% CI 0.67–0.87), respectively. The overall diagnostic odds ratio of AI‐based EUS for GISTs was 36.74 (95% CI 17.69–76.30) with an AUROC of 0.94. Conclusions: AI‐based EUS showed high diagnostic ability and might help better differentiate GISTs from other SELs. More prospective studies on the diagnosis of GISTs using AI‐based EUS are warranted in clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Low muscle mass and quality is associated with poor surgical outcomes. Psoas muscle density (PMD)is a validated surrogate for muscle quality that can be easily measured from a clinical computed tomography (CT) scan. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between PMD and short-term postoperative outcomes in patients with acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI). Methods: From April 2006 and September 2019, the clinical data of all patients who underwent surgical intervention with a preoperative diagnosis of AMI and had preoperative non-contrast CT images available were retrospectively reviewed. PMD was measured by CT at the third lumbar vertebra. The lowest quartile of PMD for men and women in all patients was used as sex-specific cut-off values for low PMD. Univariate and multivariate analyses evaluating risk factors of postoperative complications and 30-day mortality were performed. Results: The cohort consisted of 88 patients with a mean age of 58.8 ± 16.2 years, of whom 21 (23.9%) patients had low PMD based on the diagnostic cut-off values (40.5 HU for men and 28.4 HU for women), 35 (39.8%) patients developed complications within 30 days of the operation, and 10 (11.3%) patients died within 30 days of surgery. Low PMD patients had a higher risk of postoperative complications and 30-day mortality than patients without low PMD patients. In a multivariate analysis, low PMD and low psoas muscle area (PMA) were independent predictors of postoperative complications. However, only low PMD remained an independent risk factor for 30-day mortality. Conclusions: Preoperative assessment of the PMD on CT can be a practical method for identifying AMI patients at risk for postoperative complications and 30-day mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interleukin-17 (IL-17) family consists of six family members (IL-17A–IL-17F) and all the corresponding receptors have been identified recently. This family is mainly involved in the host defense mechanisms against bacteria, fungi and helminth infection by inducing cytokines and chemokines, recruiting neutrophils, inducing anti-microbial proteins and modifying T-helper cell differentiation. IL-17A and some other family cytokines are also involved in the development of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis by inducing inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and antibodies against IL-17A as well as the receptor IL-17RA are being successfully used for the treatment of these diseases. Involvement in the development of inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and tumors has also been suggested in animal disease models. In this review, we will briefly review the mechanisms by which IL-17 cytokines are involved in the development of these diseases and discuss possible treatment of inflammatory diseases by targeting IL-17 family members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia (SFTS) caused by SFTS virus (SFTSV) was a tick-borne hemorrhagic fever that posed significant threat to human health in Eastern Asia. The study was designed to measure the seroprevalence of SFTSV antibody in healthy population residing in a high endemic region. Methods: A cohort study was performed on healthy residents in Shangcheng County in Xinyang City from April to December in 2018, where the highest SFTS incidence in China was reported. Anti-SFTSV IgG was measured by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and neutralizing antibody (NAb) was detected by using PRNT50. The logistic regression models were performed to analyze the variables that were associated with seropositive rates. Results: Totally 886 individuals were recruited. The baseline seroprevalence that was tested before the epidemic season was 11.9% (70/587) for IgG and 6.8% (40/587) for NAb, which was increased to 13.4% (47/350) and 7.7% (27/350) during the epidemic season, and further to 15.8% (80/508) and 9.8% (50/508) post epidemic. The IgG antibody-based seropositivity was significantly related to the patients aged ≥ 70 years old [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.440, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.334–4.461 compared to the group of < 50 years old, P = 0.004], recent contact with cats (adjusted OR = 2.195, 95% CI: 1.261–3.818, P = 0.005), and working in tea garden (adjusted OR = 1.698, 95% CI: 1.002–2.880, P = 0.049) by applying multivariate logistic regression model. The NAb based seropositivity was similarly related to the patients aged ≥ 70 years old (adjusted OR = 2.691, 95% CI: 1.271–5.695 compared to the group of < 50 years old, P = 0.010), and recent contact with cats (OR = 2.648, 95% CI: 1.419–4.941, P = 0.002). For a cohort of individuals continually sampled with 1-year apart, the anti-SFTSV IgG were maintained at a stable level, while the NAb level reduced. Conclusions: Subclinical infection might not provide adequate immunity to protect reinfection of SFTSV, thus highlighting the ongoing threats of SFTS in endemic regions, which called for an imperative need for vaccine development. Identification of risk factors might help to target high-risk population for public health education and vaccination in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We investigated the association of alcohol consumption with cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular mortality in elderly Chinese men.Methods: Our participants were recruited from residents living in a suburban town of Shanghai (≥60 years of age, n = 1702). Alcohol intake was classified as non-drinkers, past drinkers (stopped drinking for ≥12 months), and current light-to-moderate (1 to 299 g/week) and heavy drinkers (≥300 g/week). Alcoholic beverages were classified as beer/wine, rice aperitif and liquor/mix drinking.Results: During 5.9 years (median) of follow-up, all-cause, cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular deaths occurred in 211, 98 and 113 participants, respectively. The corresponding incidence rates were 23.6/1000, 10.9/1000 and 12.6/1000 person-years, respectively. Both before and after adjustment for confounding factors, compared with non-drinkers (n = 843), past drinkers (n = 241), but not the current light-to-moderate (n = 241) or heavy drinkers (n = 377), had a higher risk of all-cause (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35-2.68, P = 0.0003) and non-cardiovascular mortality (HR 2.46, 95% CI 1.55-3.91, P = 0.0001). Similar trends were observed for cardiovascular mortality (HR 1.44, 95% CI 0.85-2.44, P = 0.18). In similar unadjusted and adjusted analyses, compared with the current beer/wine drinkers (n = 203), liquor/mix drinkers (n = 142), but not aperitif drinkers (n = 273), had a significantly higher risk of all-cause (HR 3.07, 95% CI 1.39-6.79, P = 0.006), and cardiovascular mortality (HR 10.49, 95% CI 2.00-55.22, P = 0.006). Similar trends were observed for non-cardiovascular mortality (HR 1.94, 95% CI 0.73-5.16, P = 0.18).Conclusions: Our study showed risks of mortality associated with past drinking and liquor drinking in the elderly Chinese men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In this study, we aimed to investigate the risk factors and impact of poststroke pneumonia (PSP) on mortality and functional outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). Methods: This was a post hoc analysis of a prospective randomized trial (Direct intraarterial thrombectomy in order to revascularize AIS patients with large-vessel occlusion efficiently in Chinese tertiary hospitals: a multicenter randomized clinical trial). Patients with AIS who completed EVT were evaluated for the occurrence of PSP during the hospitalization period and their modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at 90 days after AIS. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the independent predictors of PSP. Propensity score matching was conducted for the PSP and non-PSP groups by using the covariates resulting from the logistic regression analysis. The associations between PSP and outcomes were analyzed. The outcomes included 90-day poor functional outcome (mRS scores > 2), 90-day mortality, and early 2-week mortality. Results: A total of 639 patients were enrolled, of whom 29.58% (189) developed PSP. Logistic regression analysis revealed that history of chronic heart failure (unadjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.011, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.026–3.941; P = 0.042), prethrombectomy reperfusion on initial digital subtraction angiography (OR 0.394, 95% CI 0.161–0.964; P = 0.041), creatinine levels at admission (OR 1.008, 95% CI 1.000–1.016; P = 0.049), and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale at 24 h (OR 1.023, 95% CI 1.007–1.039; P = 0.004) were independent risk factors for PSP. With propensity scoring matching, poor functional outcome (mRS > 2) was more common in patients with PSP than in patients without PSP (81.03% vs. 71.83%, P = 0.043) at 90 days after EVT. The early 2-week mortality of patients with PSP was lower (5.74% vs. 12.07%, P = 0.038). But there was no statistically significant difference in 90-day mortality between the PSP group and non-PSP group (22.41% vs. 14.94%, P = 0.074). The survivorship curve also shows no statistical significance (P = 0.088) between the two groups. Conclusions: Nearly one third of patients with AIS and EVT developed PSP. Heart failure, higher creatinine levels, prethrombectomy reperfusion, and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale at 24 h were associated with PSP in these patients. PSP was associated with poor 90-day functional outcomes in patients with AIS treated with EVT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three-dimensional (3D) mesoporous titanium dioxide (TiO2) was synthesized by microwave-assisted hydrothermal method, using titanium sulfate as titanium source and urea to adjust pH value. Its structure and photocatalytic oxidation properties were studied. The results show that the TiO2 particles have a 3D mesoporous structure, uniform distribution and spherical shape, the average diameter is about 0.67 μ m. These properties provide strong light adsorption, high specific surface area, which increases the active site of the photocatalyst, porosity can also enhance the ability of the material to adsorb pollutants, thus has better stability. It was applied to photocatalytic degradation of 10 mg/L rhodamine B (RhB) solution. After 80 min of irradiation under 420 nm ultraviolet (UV) light, the degradation rate of RhB reached more than 90%. In addition, it also provided an excellent photocatalytic efficiency of removing Hg0 in simulated flue gas. The removal efficiency could still reach over 86% after 40 h, which could be used in the treatment of heavy metal pollutants such as metallurgical flue gas. A spherical three-dimensional mesoporous titanium dioxide (TiO2) with an average diameter of about 0.67 μm was prepared by microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. Compared with the other three TiO2 materials, the TiO2 prepared by microwave-assisted hydrothermal method (CT) has stronger light absorption capacity and larger specific surface area, which can remove Hg0 in simulated flue gas more effectively and stably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyslipidemia is an emerging disease in China, especially in the presence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus. We investigated the association of dyslipidemia with the use of antihypertensive and antidiabetic agents. The study participants (n = 2423) were hypertensive and diabetic patients enrolled in a China nationwide registry. Serum mean ± (SD, except for serum triglycerides, median [interquatile range]) concentrations were 1.38 (0.97‐2.02) mmol/L, 4.85 ± 1.12 mmol/L, 1.30 ± 0.36 mmol/L, and 2.89 ± 0.92 mmol/L for triglycerides and total, high‐density lipoprotein (HDL), and low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, respectively. The prevalence of dyslipidemia was 18.9%, 13.5%, 16.6%, and 37.7% for hypertriglyceridemia (serum triglycerides ≥2.3 mmol/L), hypercholesterolemia (total cholesterol ≥6.2 mmol/L or LDL cholesterol ≥4.1 mmol/L), low HDL cholesterol (HDL cholesterol <1.0 mmol/L), and any of the three lipid disorders, respectively. Treated (n = 1647), compared with untreated hypertensive patients (n = 303), had a significantly (P ≤.0006) lower serum total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol, but similar serum triglycerides (P =.20). Treated (n = 1325), compared with untreated diabetic patients (n = 238), had a significantly (P ≤.004) lower serum triglycerides, and total and LDL cholesterol, but similar serum HDL cholesterol (P =.81). After adjustment, the odds ratios (OR) were significant for hypercholesterolemia (OR 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58‐0.997, P =.048) and low HDL cholesterol (OR 1.56, CI 1.19‐2.03, P =.001) in treated versus untreated hypertension, and for low HDL cholesterol (OR 1.50, CI 1.18‐1.89, P =.0008) in treated versus untreated diabetes. In conclusion, the prevalence of dyslipidemia differed between treated and untreated hypertension and diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The complete time history of deformation and additional stress of existing tunnel structure of shield tunnel during new tunnel construction was monitored. • Data-driven models were proposed to forecast the time-dependent deformation of existing tunnel structures during new tunnel construction. • An additional stress calculation method was proposed and validated by field monitoring data. • The deformation and additional stress of existing tunnel structure were analyzed based on the tunneling-soil-existing tunnel interactions. A redistribution of stress is caused by the excavation of a new tunnel within the soil surrounding the existing shield tunnel structure. This stress redistribution results in alterations to the soil and water loads around the existing tunnel structure, ultimately impacting its stress and deformation. The deformation response of existing tunnels is primarily focused on in most existing studies, with limited research conducted on the coupling system of new tunnel excavation, soil stress state, and deformation and stress of existing tunnels. This paper proposed an innovative methodology to predict deformation in existing tunnel structures and estimate additional stress during the excavation of a new shield tunnel. The reliability of the suggested calculation method was verified using measured internal force and convergence data of the structures. The results demonstrated that the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model could more effectively establish the temporal correlation between the excavation parameters of new tunnels and the deformation of existing tunnels. Compared to the Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) model, the R2 of the LSTM model increased by 11.81% in the prediction of the tunnel waist and 9.38% in the prediction of the tunnel crown. The Light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM) algorithm was used to analyze the crucial factors of deformation of the existing tunnel structures during shield tunneling, and the results showed that the relative position and the average earth pressure were the essential factors. Furthermore, a calculation method for the additional stress of existing tunnel structures was proposed based on the load structure model. The method assumed that the additional load was distributed rectangularly at the top and bottom of the existing tunnel, and triangularly at the waist of the tunnel. The comparison between the calculated results and the measured results indicated that the phased characteristics of the internal force changes in the existing tunnel structure during the construction of a new tunnel could be accurately reflected by this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An updated comprehension of landslide kinematics is a prerequisite for developing effective risk assessment and emergency management in the context of climate variability and anthropogenic disturbances. This study employs a multidisciplinary approach, taking the Outang landslide in China's Three Gorges Reservoir area as a case study. We examined the spatiotemporal surface processes and time- and subzone-dependent hydrometeorological factors from 2007 to 2021, particularly identifying rainfall regimes and reservoir water levels that trigger landslide movements. Given the uneven distribution of GNSS surface markers, we introduced weighted monthly mean displacement (D) and weighted marker frequency (f), enhancing the accuracy of our insights into distinct active subzones of the landslide. Preliminary results revealed July, September and June as months of higher susceptibility, as well as months with low water levels. The early-stage deformation control by reservoir water levels is being increasingly overshadowed by rainfall, due to extreme weather events and localized anti-slip measures. Long-term surface processes have also highlighted the transformation of landslide failure modes towards a compound pattern, from a predominantly retrogressive to a thrust-dominated pattern, and even overall translation coupled with localized rotation. Furthermore, the comparative analysis of normalized displacement/strain demonstrates the power and potential of integrating multi-source monitoring data. By revisiting the evolution processes and potential deformation mechanisms of the Outang landslide, we are getting closer to understanding more about the dynamics of giant landslides in reservoir areas, and illuminate the pathway towards enhanced risk management and emergency response strategies. • Revisiting of a case study brings new awakening to the kinematics and drivers of giant reservoir landslides. • Introducing weighted monthly mean displacement and weighted marker frequency to tackle spatial heterogeneity in subzones. • Precipitation has increasingly outperformed and even replaced reservoir water in controlling landslide deformation. • Comparative analysis of normalized surface displacement and subsurface strain illuminates the path towards robust early warning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water bodies are frequently polluted, with sulfur oxides being the most common form of water pollution. Therefore, developing a detection mechanism for sulfur oxides in water bodies is particularly urgent. A new fluorescent probe YX-KZBD was designed and developed. This probe releases fluorescent signals with its own sulfurous acid recognition site, detects sulfurous acid based on the Michael addition reaction, and evaluates the pollution degree of sulfur oxides in the water environment through the transformation mode of the sulfur cycle. This probe has high energy transfer efficiency in aqueous solutions. In addition, the fluorescence data obtained by analyzing the water samples were linearly fitted with the gene abundance values of the functional genes of sulfur-producing bacteria, and a significant correlation was obtained. The Kriging interpolation model was used to evaluate the sulfate content distribution at each sampling point to understand the distribution of sulfur oxides in natural water intuitively. The fluorescence signal excited by the probe was also combined with a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and sulfate-reducing and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were introduced in the sulfur cycle, providing a new method to assess the extent of water pollution effectively. [Display omitted] • This probe associates the WQI-P value with sulfur producing bacteria. • Sulfur producing bacteria combine the sulfur cycle with fluorescence. • The fluorescence detection of the probe has specific selectivity for SO 3 2−. • The probe applies Kriging interpolation technology to water quality assessment. • Small molecule fluorescence probes combine optics with biological Earth models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Shield tunneling is an efficient method of the tunnel construction for the system of underground transportation, but it will disturb the surrounding soil and affect the security of nearby structures. The monitoring for deformation of the structures influenced by the tunneling construction is crucial for structural safety evaluation, especially for the ancient structures. The computer vision‐based structural deformation monitoring approach is a newly developed method that has advantages such as, long‐distance, noncontact, and so on, which provides a promising tool for deformation monitoring of ancient structures. This study applied a computer vision‐based method for field monitoring of three‐dimensional (3‐D) deformation of an ancient tower under the influence of shield tunneling. The target‐free strategy was adopted to eliminate the need for installation of artificial makers on the surface of the tower. The environmental factors during the long‐term monitoring were discussed, especially the influence of temperature variation. Background modification was employed to reduce the error induced by the microchange of camera position. The long‐term 3‐D deformations of the ancient tower including vertical settlement and horizontal deformation in two directions during the shield tunneling construction were obtained. The results indicate that the proposed computer vision‐based method offers an efficient and cost‐effective approach to monitor the 3‐D deformation of the ancient structure and further for structural safety evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Wind speed forecasting can serve a wide spectrum of purposes, including scheduling of a power system and dynamic control of structures. A lot of models are widely used to forecast wind speed, consisting of deterministic models (e.g., physical models, statistical models, and artificial intelligence models) and probabilistic models (e.g., Bayesian model). The wind speed has the characteristics of random, nonlinear, and uncertainty, which highlights the importance of using Bayesian model to predict the wind speed. In this study, a Bayesian emulator with Gaussian process prior is adopted for probabilistic forecast of wind speed. The present Bayesian emulator approach not only maintains the data‐driven property which guarantees its high flexibility in modeling the complexity of the target system but also allows for the efficient, probabilistic evaluation of the wind speed in terms of the predictive mean and variance. Nevertheless, the modeling performance of the Bayesian emulator directly depends on the selected covariance function. The influence of different types of covariance functions, which include squared‐exponential (SE) covariance function, Matern (MA) covariance function, periodic (PE) covariance function, and composite covariance function, on forecasting performance of the wind speed is studied. One‐month wind monitoring data collected by structural health monitoring (SHM) system installed on Jiubao bridge are employed to demonstrate the effectiveness of Bayesian emulator for forecasting the wind speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying physiological and transcriptomic changes can provide insights into the effects of drier air humidity stress on plants. In this study, we selected 6-month-old seedlings of Pterocarya stenoptera as study materials and used physiological index detection and transcriptome sequencing to investigate the adaptation mechanism of P. stenoptera in response to drier air humidity stress. Proline content, and superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities did not increase significantly under drier air humidity stress. The physiological results showed that the drier air humidity stress only had slight effects on P. stenoptera. However, transcriptome sequencing showed that P. stenoptera initiated a series of metabolic pathways including L -phenylalanine catabolic process, NAD biosynthetic process, ATP biosynthetic process, and thiamine metabolism under drier air humidity stress. The enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes results at 2 and 4 weeks under the drier air humidity stress showed that the genes THI1 and THIC in thiamine metabolism exhibited significantly differential expression. Previous studies confirmed that the two genes can improve drought tolerance. Our results implicitly indicated that exogenous thiamine might improve drought tolerance and alleviate the yellowing of the P. stenoptera leaves. Our study provides insights into the adaptation mechanism of P. stenoptera in response to drier air humidity stress and important clues into the cultivation and management of P. stenoptera in northern cities in China. • P. stenoptera initiated a series of metabolic pathways in response to drier air humidity stress. • Our results indicated that exogenous thiamine might improve drought tolerance of P. stenoptera. • Our study provides insights into the adaptation mechanism of P. stenoptera in response to drier air humidity stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we derive the Carrollian amplitude in the framework of bulk reduction. The Carrollian amplitude is shown to relate to the scattering amplitude by a Fourier transform in this method. We propose Feynman rules to calculate the Carrollian amplitude where the Fourier transforms emerge as the integral representation of the external lines in the Carrollian space. Then we study the four-point Carrollian amplitude at loop level in massless Φ4 theory. As a consequence of Poincaré invariance, the four-point Carrollian amplitude can be transformed to the amplitude that only depends on the cross ratio z of the celestial sphere and a variable χ invariant under translation. The four-point Carrollian amplitude is a polynomial of the two-point Carrollian amplitude whose argument is replaced with χ. The coefficients of the polynomial have branch cuts in the complex z plane. We also show that the renormalized Carrollian amplitude obeys the Callan-Symanzik equation. Moreover, we initiate a generalized Φ4 theory by designing the Feynman rules for more general Carrollian amplitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interface engineering multi-component core–shell nanostructures with highly efficient and reversible faradaic reactions for energy conversion storage devices is still a challenge. Here, Co3O4 nanowires@NiO ultrafine nanowires on Ni foam were well fabricated via coating the NiO ultrafine nanowires on porous Co3O4 nanowire arrays. The combination of structural and compositional advantages endows the Co3O4@NiO core–shell composites with excellent electrochemical performance, such as a favorable specific capacity of 0.71 mA h cm−2 at 3 mA cm−2, excellent rate capability and 85% retention rate up to 10,000 cycles. Rechargeable alkaline batteries with the Co3O4@NiO core–shell composites and AC as cathode and anode, respectively, had a high specific capacity of 0.51 mA h cm−2 and stable cycling ability (81% retention after 5000 cycles). The hierarchical core–shell heterostructure electrode exhibits excellent electrochemical performance, making it a very promising material for next-generation energy storage device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The complete time history of confining pressure of shield tunnel during construction was monitored. • Data-driven models were proposed to forecast the history of the confining pressure during construction. • The performance of proposed models was validated by comparing with other traditional models. • The effect of hyperparameters of models on their prediction performance was investigated. The confining pressure is the main source of the internal force of the shield tunnel. Estimating confining pressure accurately holds a pivotal role in the analysis of the shield tunnel structure. Popular belief prefers to consider the confining pressure constant rather than variable along with time. However, the pressure will change dynamically due to the variation of contact between soil and tunnel, underground water level, or internal load during construction. In this study, the complete time histories of confining pressure during the whole construction period, at the top, middle, and bottom of the shield tunnel lining, were acquired through long-term and high-frequency field monitoring. The raw data were preprocessed and transformed into the training and testing set. The models based on the fusion of the LSTM framework, PSO algorithm, and the multi-output recursive strategy, were constructed to forecast the 7-day history of confining pressure. Results show the proposed models have better prediction performance than other traditional models. The number of output layer units impacts the prediction performance of models greatly. Relatively speaking, the models with 6 ∼ 8 units in the output layer have the more stable prediction performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Monodomain MnZn soft magnetic ferrite is successfully obtained by SPS technology. • The high-frequency performance is improved by domain rotation in SPS-sintered ferrite. • The power loss at 20 MHz is firstly reported based on homemade testing system. MnZn soft magnetic ferrites are essential materials for energy conversion in power electronics. The rapid development of miniaturized and energy-saving electronics has put forth an urgent need for high-frequency MnZn ferrites. However, the current MnZn ferrites suffer from a rapid decline of permeability and a drastic increase in power loss at frequencies above 5 MHz, which severely limits their use in high-frequency power electronics. In this study, the Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) technology was used to prepare high-frequency MnZn ferrites. Compared to samples prepared by traditional solid-state sintering, SPS ferrite exhibits superior high-frequency properties with cut-off frequency of 57 MHz, and a power loss of 169.6 kW/m3 at 20 MHz. The improved high-frequency performance is due to the monodomain structure which is induced by grain refinement via spark plasma sintering. This study presents an effective method for manufacturing high-frequency soft magnetic ferrite and will promote the development of high-performance power electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using first-principles calculations, we propose a new two-dimensional Ge2S (space group P21212) with unique mechanical and electronic properties. Monolayer Ge2S has excellent thermal, mechanical, and dynamic stabilities, exhibiting a semiconducting behavior with an indirect bandgap and anisotropic carrier mobility. The uniaxial strain along the zigzag direction can induce an indirect-to-direct bandgap transition. Remarkably, Ge2S possesses large in-plane negative Poisson's ratios, comparable with that of well-known penta-graphene. Moreover, we identify Ge2S as a high-performance anode material for metal-ion batteries. It shows metallic features after adsorbing Na, K, and Mg, providing good electrical conductivity during the charge/discharge process. The diffusion of metal ions on Ge2S is anisotropic with modest energy barriers in the armchair direction of 0.12, 0.39, and 0.76 eV for Na, K, and Mg, respectively. Ge2S can adsorb metal atoms up to a stoichiometric ratio of 1:1, which yields storage capacities of 151.17, 151.17, and 302.35 mA h g−1 for Na, K, and Mg, respectively. The volume of Ge2S shrinks slightly upon the adsorption of metal ions even at high concentrations, ensuring a good cyclic stability. Besides, the average open circuit voltage (0.30–0.70 V) falls within the acceptable range (0.1–1.0 V) of the anode materials. These results make Ge2S a promising anode material for the design of future metal-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]