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In this paper, we investigate the non-confluence property of a class of stochastic differential equations with Markovian switching driven by fractional Brownian motion with Hurst parameter H∈(1/2,1). By using the generalized Itô formula and stopping time techniques, we obtain some sufficient conditions ensuring the non-confluence property for the considered equations. Additionally, we present two important corollaries on the non-confluence property by the Poisson equation and M-matrix, respectively, which can verify the non-confluence property more effectively than the general condition. Finally, we provide an example to illustrate the practical usefulness of our theoretical results.

Metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma is associated with poor survival and unsatisfactory treatment outcomes. Therefore, new immunotherapeutic methods are urgently required. Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4), a new therapeutic target for rhabdomyosarcoma, plays a crucial role in its onset and development. This study aimed to generate FGFR4 single-chain variable fragment-based chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells without causing evident toxicity and incorporating an inducible caspase-9 (iCasp9) suicide gene system to enhance their safety. FGFR4 antigen expression was evaluated in normal murine tissues, normal human tissues, and specimens from patients with rhabdomyosarcoma. Combined with a 4-1BB co-stimulatory domain, a CD3ζ signaling domain, and an iCasp9 suicide gene, CAR-T cells with an FGFR4-specific single-chain variable fragment were developed. The specific cytotoxic effects, T-cell proliferation, cytokine secretion, apoptosis induction by chemical dimerization (AP20187), and toxicity of FGFR4 CAR-T cells were investigated in vitro and in vivo. FGFR4 CAR-T cells generated a variety of immune-promoting cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 2, and interferon γ, and displayed effective cytotoxic activity against FGFR4-overexpressing rhabdomyosarcoma cells in vitro. FGFR4 CAR-T cells were relatively effective against FGFR4-overexpressing rhabdomyosarcoma, with tumor regression and poor survival in a subcutaneous xenograft model. The iCasp9 gene was incorporated into FGFR4 CAR-T cells and it was demonstrated that effective and reliable suicide gene activity depends on the administration of AP20187. By making use of the cross-reaction of FGFR4 CAR-T cells with murine FGFR4 in a syngeneic tumor model, this study found that FGFR4 CAR-T cells could regulate the growth of tumors without evident toxicity. Our study demonstrates that FGFR4 is a prospective target for CAR-T cell therapy in rhabdomyosarcoma without serious on-target off-tumor toxicity. FGFR4 CAR-T cells with the iCasp9 suicide gene system as a safety switch to limit toxicity may broaden the clinical applications of cellular therapy.

AbstractIn public–private partnership (PPP) projects, governments often need to provide guarantees to investors because of the risks created by the large scale of the investments and the long tenures of the projects. Yet, research on the assessment of fiscal risk in PPP projects remains scarce. Based on the theory of project life-cycle management, this study constructed a multidimensional identification and assessment framework for PPP fiscal risk. A fiscal risk matrix model was developed, and feasibility, standardization, and sustainability were identified. These were categorized into three dimensions of PPP fiscal risk, and their indicators’ hierarchical levels were evaluated and ranked. A risk model, called the fuzzy evaluation model of PPP fiscal risk, which shows the value of the comprehensive evaluation of PPP fiscal risk based on a fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) approach, is proposed. The results demonstrate the significance of this valuation for both governments and investors, providing a clear reference when they face pressure from the fiscal risks of PPP projects.

Optical biosensors based on micro/nanofibers are highly valuable for probing and monitoring liquid environments and bioactivity. Most current optical biosensors, however, are still based on glass, semiconductors, or metallic materials, which might not be fully suitable for biologically relevant environments. Here, we introduce biocompatible and flexible microfibers from lotus silk as microenvironmental monitors that exhibit waveguiding of intrinsic fluorescence as well as of coupled light. These features make single-filament monitors excellent building blocks for a variety of sensing functions, including pH probing and detection of bacterial activity. These results pave the way for the development of new and entirely eco-friendly, potentially multiplexed biosensing platforms.

ABSTRACTThe random inspection of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) is an important policy for practicing “standardizing regulatory behavior and innovating management modes”. This study investigates how CSRC’s random affect capital market information efficiency from the perspective of stock price synchronicity. Using a sample of China’s non-financial A-share firms from 2013 to 2019, we find that random inspections significantly reduced the stock price synchronicity of inspected firms. Random inspections could increase the probability of releasing management earnings forecasts, media coverage and investor attention, and thereby improve information efficiency. Further study finds that the effect of random inspections on stock price synchronicity is stronger for non-state controlled firms, districts with more listed firms, and districts with more transparent government. This study enriches the literature on the consequences of random inspections and extends our knowledge of the relationship between regulatory innovations and the information efficiency of the capital market.

In this paper, we investigate a class of stochastic Riemann-Liouville type fractional differential equations driven by Lévy noise. By using Itô formula for the considered equation, we attempt to explore the non-confluence property of solution for the considered equation under some appropriate conditions. Our approach is to construct some suitable Lyapunov functions which is novel in exploring the non-confluence property of differential equations.

Conducting scientific drilling on subglacial lakes and obtaining samples of subglacial lake water holds great significance in unraveling the formation and evolution of Antarctic subglacial lakes and early Earth’s life forms. Despite various approaches to access and directly sample subglacial water and sediments, clean access and exploration of subglacial lakes remain challenging. To address this concern, Jilin University has developed the RECoverable Autonomous Sonde (RECAS) prototype. This technology enables sampling and in-situdetection of subglacial lake water while being isolated from the surface, thus minimizing the risk of pollution. Laboratory tests, including downward and upward drilling, long-running, remote-control, and cold-environment assessments, were conducted to validate the sonde’s principle and functionality. During the 38th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition, CHINARE (2021–2022 season), the RECAS prototype underwent testing on the flank region of Dålk glacier, 10 km from Zhongshan Station in Antarctica. Three boreholes with depths of 200.3, 183.2, and 133.5 m were successfully drilled, with the refrozen meltwater sealing the boreholes during the process. Approximately 600 mL of melted water samples were collected from each hole. Throughout the drilling tests, all systems of the RECAS prototype performed within the expected ranges.

Background: Fenofibrate was reported to be beneficial for cholestasis in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid. However, its therapeutic action as single therapy for chronic cholestasis and the underlying mechanism are not known. Methods: In the present study, wild-type (WT) mice were administered a 0.05% ANIT diet to mimic chronic cholestatic liver injury. Mice were dosed fenofibrate 25 mg/kg twice every day for 10 days to investigate the therapeutic action of fenofibrate on chronic cholestatic liver injury. Ppara-null (KO) mice were used to explore PPARa’s role in the therapeutic outcome. Results: Fenofibrate, administered at 25 mg/kg twice daily, substantially reversed ANIT-induced chronic cholestatic liver injury shown by biochemical and pathological end points. The modifications of bile acid metabolism were found to be adaptive responses. The JNK–AP1–CCL2/CXCL2 axis was activated in all the mice administered ANIT which developed chronic cholestatic liver injury. But it was substantially decreased by fenofibrate in WT mice rather than that in KO mice. Conclusions: Low-dose fenofibrate reversed chronic cholestatic liver injury in mice. The therapeutic action was dependent on PPARa activation and occurred by inhibiting chemotaxis via the JNK–AP1–CCL2/CXCL2 signaling. These data provided an exciting basis for optimization of therapeutic fenofibrate regimen in the clinic. Additionally, they suggested anti-chemotaxis of low-dose fenofibrate in single therapy to treat cholestatic liver diseases.

Adverse experiences in early life can shape neuronal structures and synaptic function in multiple brain regions, leading to deficits of distinct cognitive functions later in life. Focusing on the pyramidal cells of the prelimbic cortex (PrL), a main subregion of the medial prefrontal cortex, the impact of early-life adversity (ELA) was investigated in a well-established animal model generated by changing the rearing environment during postnatal days 2 to 9 (P2-P9), a sensitive developmental period. ELA has enduring detrimental impacts on the dendritic spines of PrL pyramidal cells, which is most apparent in a spatially circumscribed region. Specifically, ELA affects both thin and mushroom-type spines, and ELA-provoked loss of spines is observed on selective dendritic segments of PrL pyramidal cells in layers II-III and V-VI. Reduced postsynaptic puncta represented by postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95), but not synaptophysin-labelled presynaptic puncta, in ELA mice supports the selective loss of spines in the PrL. Correlation analysis indicates that loss of spines and postsynaptic puncta in the PrL contributes to the poor spatial working memory of ELA mice, and thin spines may play a major role in working memory performance. To further understand whether loss of spines affects glutamatergic transmission, AMPA- and NMDA-receptor-mediated synaptic currents (EPSCs) were recorded in a group of Thy1-expressing PrL pyramidal cells. ELA mice exhibited a depressed glutamatergic transmission, which is accompanied with a decreased expression of GluR1 and NR1 subunits in the PrL. Finally, upregulating the activation of Thy1-expressing PrL pyramidal cells via excitatory DREADDs can efficiently improve the working memory performance of ELA mice in a T-maze-based task, indicating the potential of a chemogenetic approach in restoring ELA-provoked memory deficits.

In plants, lysine acetylation (Kac), 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (Khib), and lysine lactylation (Kla), the three new types of post-translational modification (PTM), play very important roles in growth, development, and resistance to adverse environmental stresses. Herein, we report the first global acetylome, 2-hydroxyisobutyrylome, and lactylome in sugarcane. A total of 8573 Kac, 4637 Khib, and 215 Kla sites across 3903, 1507, and 139 modified proteins were identified. Besides, homology analyses revealed the Kac, Khib, and Kla sites on histones were conserved between sugarcane and rice or poplar. Functional annotations demonstrated that the Kac, Khib, and Kla proteins were mainly involved in energy metabolism. In addition, a number of modified transcription factors and stress-related proteins, which were constitutively expressed in different tissues of sugarcane and induced by drought, cold or Sporisorium scitamineumstress, were identified. Finally, a proposed working mode on how PTM functions in sugarcane was depicted. We thus concluded that PTM should play a role in sugarcane growth, development, and response to biotic and abiotic stresses, but the mechanisms require further investigation. The present study provided the all-new comprehensive profile of proteins Kac, Khib, and Kla and a new perspective to understand the molecular mechanisms of protein PTMs in sugarcane.

Exploring the relationship between teacher support and students' learning engagement in high school information technology courses can help improve students' learning ability. The researchers took 246 high school students from a city in China as the research subjects and used structural equation modeling to explore the relationship between teacher support and learning engagement in high school information technology courses from the perspective of computer self-efficacy. The results show that teacher support, computer self-efficacy, and learning engagement are positively correlated. Teacher support has a positive effect on information technology learning engagement, and computer self-efficacy plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between teacher support and information technology learning engagement.

This study explored the role of volunteers’ psychological capital and family concern in the effect of the authentic leadership and organization's climate on volunteering behavior in volunteer organizations. A questionnaire survey was used to investigate 945 college student volunteers from volunteer organizations in Chinese colleges at three time points. The results found that authentic leadership and the climate in the volunteer organization were significantly and positively related to volunteers’ psychological capital and volunteering behavior, and family concern was significantly and positively related to authentic leadership in volunteer organizations and volunteers’ psychological capital. Authentic leadership and climate in volunteer organizations positively affected volunteering behavior, not only directly but also indirectly, through the mediating role of volunteers’ psychological capital. Moreover, family concern played a moderating role in the indirect effect of authentic leadership and the climate in volunteer organizations on volunteering behavior through volunteers’ psychological capital. Specifically, when the college students’ family concern increased, the positive indirect effect of the authentic leadership and climate in volunteer organizations on volunteering behavior through volunteers’ psychological capital increased.

Modern aquaculture must be sustainable in terms of energy consumption, raw materials used, and environmental impact, so alternatives are needed to replace fish feed with other raw materials. Enzyme use in the agri-food industry is based on their efficiency, safety, and protection of the environment, which aligns with the requirements of a resource-saving production system. Enzyme supplementation in fish feed can improve digestibility and absorption of both plant- and animal-derived ingredients, increasing the growth parameters of aquacultural animals. Herein we summarized the recent literature that reported the use of digestive enzymes (amylases, lipases, proteases, cellulases, and hemicellulases) and non-digestive enzymes (phytases, glucose oxidase, and lysozyme) in fish feed. In addition, we analyzed how critical steps of the pelleting process, including microencapsulation and immobilization, can interfere with enzyme activity in the final fish feed product.

Glaciers are known as natural “solid reservoirs”, and they play a dual role between the composition of water resources and the river runoff regulation in arid and semi-arid areas of China. In this study, we used in situobservation data from Urumqi Glacier No. 1, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, in combination with meteorological data from stations and a digital elevation model, to develop a distributed degree-day model for glaciers in the Urumqi River Basin to simulate glacier mass balance processes and quantify their effect on streamflow during 1980–2020. The results indicate that the mass loss and the equilibrium line altitude (ELA) of glaciers in the last 41 years had an increasing trend, with the average mass balance and ELA being −0.85 (±0.32) m w.e./a (meter water-equivalent per year) and 4188 m a.s.l., respectively. The glacier mass loss has increased significantly during 1999–2020, mostly due to the increase in temperature and the extension of ablation season. During 1980–2011, the average annual glacier meltwater runoff in the Urumqi River Basin was 0.48×108m3, accounting for 18.56% of the total streamflow. We found that the annual streamflow in different catchments in the Urumqi River Basin had a strong response to the changes in glacier mass balance, especially from July to August, and the glacier meltwater runoff increased significantly. In summary, it is quite possible that the results of this research can provide a reference for the study of glacier water resources in glacier-recharged basins in arid and semi-arid areas.

Purpose: This paper aims to study the effect of the establishment of bankruptcy courts on bond issuance market. This paper helps to predict that the introduction of bankruptcy courts in China can mitigate price distortions caused by the implicit government guarantees and promote the development of the high-risk bond market. Design/methodology/approach: This paper exploits the staggered introduction of bankruptcy courts across cities to implement a differences-in-differences strategy on bond issuance data. Using bonds issued in China between 2018 and 2020, the impact of bankruptcy courts on the bond issuance market can be analyzed. Findings: This paper reveals that bond issuance credit spreads increase and is more sensitive to firm size, profitability and downside risk of issuance entity after the introduction of bankruptcy courts. It also reveals a substantive increase in bond issuance quantity and a decrease in issuer credit ratings following the establishment of bankruptcy courts. In addition, the increase of credit spreads is more prominent for publicly traded bonds, those whose issuers located in provinces with lower judicial confidence, bonds issued by SOEs and bonds with stronger government guarantees. Finally, the role of bankruptcy courts is more pronounced in regions with higher marketization. Originality/value: This paper relates to previous studies that investigate the impact of laws and institutions on external financing. It helps provide new evidence to this literature on how improvements of efficiency and quality in bankruptcy enforcements relate to the marketization of bond issuance. The results provide further evidence on legal institutions and bond financing.

Insect group h chitinase is a promising target for designing non-target safe pesticides in that it is exclusively distributed in lepidopteran insects, over 80% of which are agricultural pests. In this work, lynamicin B was discovered to be an inhibitor of OfChi-h, the group h chitinase from the lepidopteran pest Ostrinia furnacalis. Lynamicin B was revealed to competitively inhibit OfChi-h with a Kivalue of 8.76 μM and does not significantly inhibit other chitinases. The co-crystal structure of lynamicin B and OfChi-h revealed that the dichloroindolyl group of lynamicin B occupies an unexplored pocket below subsites +1 and +2 of the substrate-binding cleft, which is vital for its selectivity. Feeding experiments demonstrated that lynamicin B exhibited high insecticidal activities against other lepidopteran pests Mythimna separataand Spodoptera frugiperdabesides O. furnacalis. Moreover, lynamicin B did not affect Trichogramma ostriniae, a natural enemy of O. furnacalis. This study provides a natural-derived potent pesticide for the control of lepidopteran pests, leaving its natural enemy unaffected.

The simulation of human brain neurons by synaptic devices could be an effective strategy to break through the notorious “von Neumann Bottleneck” and “Memory Wall”. Herein, opto-electronic synapses based on layered hafnium disulfide (HfS2) transistors have been investigated. The basic functions of biological synapses are realized and optimized by modifying pulsed light conditions. Furthermore, 2 × 2 pixel imaging chips have also been developed. Two-pixel visual information is illuminated on diagonal pixels of the imaging array by applying light pulses (λ = 405 nm) with different pulse frequencies, mimicking short-term memory and long-term memory characteristics of the human vision system. In addition, an optically/electrically driven neuromorphic computation is demonstrated by machine learning to classify hand-written numbers with an accuracy of about 88.5%. This work will be an important step toward an artificial neural network comprising neuromorphic vision sensing and training functions.

Hard-to-abate industrial processes, such as petrochemicals and cement production, have long been considered technically challenging to decarbonize. In response to the urgent demand to eliminate industrial CO2 emissions, a new class of energy-imparting turbomachines has been developed. These devices aim to convert mechanical into internal energy instead of pressurizing the gas, which enables high-temperature gas heating (up to 1700 ∘C) for a variety of applications. This article is organized into three parts. First, this article aims to demonstrate the capabilities of the novel, high-capacity, customizable, repeating-stage axial turbo-heater architecture for a hydrocarbon cracking example application. The study presents the new design requirements and working principles of this energy-imparting concept. The radically different objectives compared to a compressor enable ultra-high loading stage designs by avoiding the stability and efficiency constraints imposed on compressors. Within this new design space, the turbo-heater is able to achieve a loading coefficient ψ ≥ 4.0. Second, detailed numerical simulations of a multistage axial turbo-reactor with various vaneless space lengths are conducted. This work conclusively demonstrates the robustness and flexibility of the aerodynamic design despite employing a uniform blade design. It is emphasized that the concept is tolerant to unsteady interstage turbulent disturbances, enabling nominal work input conditions to be achieved even for the most compact arrangements. Finally, having confirmed that the aerothermal restrictions on the vaneless space length can be removed, the designer is free to tailor the design to optimize the chemical reaction by (1) tailoring the residence time distribution to improve the yield and coking rate, (2) homogenizing reaction progress by mixing-out concentration gradients, and (3) adjusting the rotational speed to account for variations in the reaction dynamics for different feedstocks.

This research aimed to evaluate the antihepatic fibrosis effect and explore the mechanism of Qiwei Qinggan Powder (QGS-7) in vivoand in vitro. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-treated rats and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were used. QGS-7 treatment significantly improved the liver function of rats as indicated by decreased serum enzymatic activities of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase. Meanwhile, the hydroxyproline of liver was significantly decreased. Histopathological results indicated that QGS-7 alleviated liver damage and reduced the formation of fibrosis septa. Moreover, QGS-7 significantly attenuated expressions of Alpha smooth muscle actin, Collagen I, Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), phosphorylation-JAK2, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), phosphorylation-STAT3 in the rat hepatic fibrosis model. QGS-7 inhibited HSC proliferation and promoted it apoptosis. QGS-7 may affect hepatic fibrosis through JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway so as to play an antihepatic fibrosis role.Graphical AbstractCCl4-treated rats and TGF-β1-induced HSCs are used. QGS-7 improve the hepatic fibrosis, inhibit HSC proliferation, and promote apoptosis by inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

Designing defect-engineered semiconductor heterojunctions can effectively promote the charge carrier separation. Herein, novel ceria (CeO2) quantum dots (QDs) decorated sulfur-doped carbon nitride nanotubes (SCN NTs) were synthesized via a thermal polycondensation coupled in situdeposition-precipitation method without use of template or surfactant. The structure and morphology studies indicate that ultrafine CeO2QDs are well distributed inside and outside of SCN NTs offering highly dispersed active sites and a large contact interface between two components. This leads to the promoted formation of rich Ce3+ion and oxygen vacancies as confirmed by XPS. The photocatalytic performance can be facilely modulated by the content of CeO2QDs introduced in SCN matrix while bare CeO2does not show activity of hydrogen production. The optimal catalyst with 10% of CeO2loading yields a hydrogen evolution rate of 2923.8 μmol h−1g−1under visible light, remarkably higher than that of bare SCN and their physical mixtures. Further studies reveal that the abundant surface defects and the created 0D/1D junctions play a critical role in improving the separation and transfer of charge carriers, leading to superior solar hydrogen production and good stability.

Flexoelectricity and photoelectricity with their coupled effect (the so-called flexo-photoelectronic effect), are of increasing interest in the study of electronics and optoelectronics in van der Waals layered semiconductors. However, the related device design is severely restricted owing to the ambiguous underlying physical nature of flexo-photoelectronic effects originating from the co-manipulation of light and strain-gradients. Here, flexoelectric polarization and the flexo-photoelectronic effect of few-layered semiconductors have been multi-dimensionally investigated from high-resolution microscopic characterization on the nanoscale, physics analysis, and deriving a device design. We found that two back-to-back built-in electric fields form in bent InSe and WSe2, and greatly modulate the transport behaviors of photogenerated carriers, further facilitating the separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs and trapping the holes/electrons in InSe or WSe2channels, recorded in realtime by a home-made technique of lighting Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). The slow release of trapped carriers contributes to the photoconductance relaxation after illumination. Utilizing the photoconductance relaxation, a light-stimulated artificial synapse based on the flexo-photoelectronic effect of bent InSe has been achieved. Significantly, all the pair-pulse facilitation (PPF) behavior, spike frequency-dependent excitatory post-synaptic current (EPSC) and the transition from short-term memory (STM) to long-term memory (LTM) have been successfully realized in this artificial synapse. This work adds to the investigation of flexo-photoelectronic effects on 2D optoelectronics, and moves towards the development of 2D neuromorphic electronics.

Ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeFETs) with semiconductors as the channel material and ferroelectrics as the gate insulator are attractive and/or promising devices for application in nonvolatile memory. In FeFETs, the conductivity states of the semiconductor are utilized to explore the polarization directions of the ferroelectric material. Herein, we report FeFETs based on a few layers of MoS2on a 0.7Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.3PbTiO3(PMN–PT) single crystal with switchable multilevel states. It was found that the On–Off ratios can reach as high as 106. We prove that the interaction effect of ferroelectric polarization and interface charge traps has a great influence on the transport behaviors and nonvolatile memory characteristics of MoS2/PMN–PT FeFETs. In order to further study the underlying physical mechanism, we have researched the time-dependent electrical properties in the temperature range from 300 to 500 K. The separation of effects from ferroelectric polarization and interfacial traps on electrical behaviors of FeFETs provides us with an opportunity to better understand the operation mechanism, which suggests a fantastic way for multilevel, low-power consumption, and high-density nonvolatile memory devices.

TS-2 microspheres, consisting of intergrown primary nanocrystals, was prepared by controlling the synthetic parameters. The effects of the amount of quaternary ammonium cations as structure-directing agent, H2O/Si ratio, the presence of alcohol and the temperature were carefully investigated on the crystallization process. The high alkalinity was proved to be highly important for the preservation of the microsphere morphology initially formed, due to the unique intergrown stacking style. An alkali treatment with the aqueous solution of structure-directing agent, organic amine and ammonium salt and subsequent Na+ion-exchange were performed to enhance the catalytic activity of TS-2 microsphere in the cyclohexanone ammoximation reactions, with both the conversion and selectivity higher than 99%. In the continuous reaction, the TS-2 microspheres exhibited to be durable catalyst with potential application in industrial ammoximation processes.

Heavy metals can be enriched in living organisms and seriously endanger human health and the ecological environment, which has evolved into a significant global environmental problem. Based on summarizing the spatial distribution of heavy metals in the environment, this review introduces heavy metal detection technologies such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry/atomic emission spectrometry, atomic absorption spectrometry, atomic fluorescence spectrometry, and laser-induced breakdown spectrometry. It summarizes their respective advantages, characteristics, and applicability. Besides, atmospheric pressure discharge plasma as a potential heavy metal detection technology is also introduced and discussed in this review. The current research mainly focuses on improving the analytical performance and optimizing the practical application. Furthermore, this review not only summarizes the advantages of atmospheric pressure discharge plasma in the field of element analysis but also summarizes the principal scientific and technical problems to be solved urgently.

The fixed green wave speed and staged statistical flow used in arterial signal coordination are not adaptable to the fluctuations in vehicle travel speed and traffic flow on roads, resulting in a mismatch between the signal scheme and the optimal green wave speed and traffic flow demand. This discrepancy negatively impacts the efficiency of intersection traffic. In traditional signal control systems, the cycle and green light timing are typically set independently. However, such a setting method poses problems in practical operation. In this paper, we combine vehicle arrival and vehicle location information, and consider the interaction of speed guidance and dynamic signal optimization to construct a model. This study is developed along the following steps: in the vehicle-road coordination environment, based on the MAXBAND model, a global coordination scheme is obtained, incorporating the speed guidance method; then, based on the vehicle saturation of the inlet lane of the arterial intersection, a multi-objective optimization model for arterial signal coordination under vehicle speed guidance is established based on global coordination with the maximum green wave bandwidth and the minimum delay of arterial vehicles, the minimum number of arterial stops and the minimum delay in the minor direction road as the optimization objectives. Based on global coordination, adopting an integrated control mechanism of cycle and green light timing allows for dynamic adjustments according to real-time traffic conditions. The improved multi-objective particle swarm algorithm is chosen to solve the model, and the simulation environment is built based on the COM interface of VISSIM software and C# platform. Three adjacent intersections of Ganjiang Middle Road in Nanchang are selected as case studies, and the methods in this paper are compared with the current timing scheme, the MAXBAND method and the optimization scheme under speed guidance only, respectively. The results show that the model proposed in this paper achieves significant optimization effects on the indicators of arterial delay, arterial stopping times and the delay of minor roads.

The interaction between support and noble metal plays a crucial role in heterogeneous catalysis design. However, how to tune metal support interactions to optimize the activity still needs further exploration. CeO2was introduced to promote CO oxidation over Ir/TiO2by adjusting the interaction strength between iridium (Ir) and CeO2. The strong interaction between Ir and CeO2blocks CO adsorption and causes low CO oxidation activity. However, introducing CeO2on Ir/TiO2produces localized interaction between Ir and CeO2, which can tune the surface electronic state of Ir, so a “volcano curve” relationship between CO oxidation activity and electronic state is built. Limited amount of CeO2on Ir/TiO2(Ir/Ce0.2Ti) leads to CO complete oxidization at 22 °C, and a new pathway for CO oxidation was explored. The study demonstrates that the utilization of tuning interaction strength between active metal and support is a potential method to increase the catalytic activity.

Despite much attention on the photoelectronic device applications of CuO-based materials, a thorough analysis of optical properties and electronic band structure of Ni-doped CuO films is still necessary. Here, the calculation based on the density functional theory revealed a strong hybridization of O 2p and Cu 3d orbits near the conduction band minimum (CBM) and valence band maximum (VBM) of CuO films. The Ni addition is found to enhance the carrier mobility, because the weaker localization of O 2p states at the VBM is observed in 50 atom % doped CuO. To confirm the theoretical results, the ellipsometric spectra of solution-processed CuO films doped by Ni ions (from 0 to 50 atom %) were fitted, and the optical constants were uniquely extracted. The optical conductivity has a linear increase with the Ni doping concentration, which results from the decreased electron traps. Besides, the band gap was found to be modulated in a range of 2.22–2.37 eV owing to the quantum confinement effects. The variation trend is confirmed by the first-principles calculation, where the computational indirect band gap is 1.27 and 1.79 eV for pure CuO and 50 atom % Ni-doped CuO. Four electronic transitions are observed at ∼2.75, 3.27, 4.01, and 4.90 eV, and the physical origins have been discussed.

ABSTRACTThis study examines a channel of the government’s helping hand, the government subsidies for firms exposed to stock price crash risk. Using data on China’s A-share non-financial listed companies from 2008 to 2016, we find that higher crash risk exposure induces more government subsidy. Compared with non-state-controlled companies, state-controlled companies receive government subsidies in a more timely manner. Further study finds that companies with closer relationships with the government, located in regions with a more cordial politics-business environment, and are pivotal to the regional economy, receive more government subsidies facing stock price risk exposure. The study also finds that companies mainly receive economic development-oriented government subsidies; and the government subsidy, in turn, helps to mitigate the negative impact of the stock price risk exposure on their borrowing capacity. This paper enriches the studies on the economic consequences of crash risk and expands the research on interactions between the government and the market.

Facial nerve aberration is the most troublesome situation in congenital malformations of middle ear. The aim of our study is to investigate its imaging and clinical features as well as relevant choice of surgical techniques for hearing improvement.