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IntroductionResearch characterizing substance use disparities between gender minority youth (GMY) and non-GMY (i.e. girls and boys) is limited. The aim of this study was to examine the differences in substance use behaviours among gender identity (GI) groups and identify associated risk and protective factors. MethodsCross-sectional data from Canadian secondary school students (n = 42 107) that participated in Year 8 (2019/20) or Year 9 (2020/21) of the COMPASS study were used. Hierarchal logistic regression models estimated current substance use (cigarettes, e-cigarettes, binge drinking, cannabis and nonmedical prescription opioids [NMPOs]). Predictor variables included sociodemographics, other substances, mental health outcomes, school connectedness, bullying and happy home life. Interaction terms were used to test mental health measures as moderators in the association between GI and substance use. ResultsCompared to non-GMY, GMY reported a higher prevalence for all substance use outcomes. In the adjusted analyses, GMY had higher odds of cigarette, cannabis and NMPO use and lower odds for e-cigarette use relative to non-GMY. The likelihood of using any given substance was higher among individuals who were involved with other substances. School connectedness and happy home life had a protective effect for all substances except binge drinking. Bullying victimization was associated with greater odds of cigarette, e-cigarette use and NMPOs. Significant interactions between GI and all mental health measures were detected. ConclusionFindings highlight the importance of collecting a GI measure in youth population surveys and prioritizing GMY in substance use–related prevention, treatment and harm reduction programs. Future studies should investigate the effects of GI status on substance use onset and progression among Canadian adolescents over time.

IntroductionLes travaux de recherche caractérisant les disparités en matière de consommation de substances entre les jeunes faisant partie de minorités de genre et les jeunes ne faisant pas partie de minorités de genre, c’est-à-dire les filles et les garçons, sont limités. L’objectif de cette étude était d’explorer les différences dans les comportements liés à la consommation de substances entre groupes d’identité de genre et de déterminer les facteurs de risque et les facteurs de protection correspondants. MéthodologieNous avons utilisé les données transversales associées aux élèves canadiens du secondaire (n = 42 107) qui avaient participé à l’année 8 (2019-2020) ou à l’année 9 (2020-2021) de l’étude COMPASS. Des modèles de régression logistique hiérarchiques nous ont permis d’estimer la consommation de substances (cigarettes, cigarettes électroniques, consommation excessive d’alcool, cannabis et opioïdes à des fins non médicales). Les variables prédictives comprenaient les caractéristiques sociodémographiques, la consommation d’autres substances, les résultats en matière de santé mentale, les liens avec l’école, l’intimidation et une vie familiale heureuse. Nous avons utilisé des termes d’interaction pour tester les mesures de la santé mentale en tant que modérateurs de l’association entre l’identité de genre et la consommation de substances. RésultatsComparativement aux jeunes ne faisant pas partie de minorités de genre, les jeunes faisant partie de minorités de genre avaient une prévalence plus élevée pour tous les résultats liés à la consommation de substances. Dans les analyses ajustées, les jeunes faisant partie de minorités de genre avaient une probabilité plus élevée de fumer des cigarettes, de consommer du cannabis et d’utiliser des opioïdes à des fins non médicales et une probabilité plus faible d’utiliser des cigarettes électroniques par rapport aux autres jeunes. La probabilité de consommer une substance donnée était plus élevée chez ceux qui consommaient d’autres substances. La connexion à l’école et une vie familiale heureuse avaient un effet protecteur contre toutes les substances, sauf la consommation excessive d’alcool. La victimisation par intimidation était associée à une plus grande probabilité d’usage de cigarettes, de cigarettes électroniques et d’opioïdes à des fins non médicales. Nous avons observé des interactions statistiquement significatives entre l’identité de genre et l’ensemble des mesures de la santé mentale. ConclusionNos constatations soulignent l’importance de recueillir une mesure de l’identité de genre dans les enquêtes sur les jeunes et de prioriser les jeunes faisant partie de minorités de genre dans les programmes de prévention, de traitement et de réduction des méfaits liés à la consommation de substances. Les études ultérieures devraient porter sur les effets de l’identité de genre sur le début et l’évolution de la consommation de substances chez les adolescents canadiens au fil du temps.

Globally, thousands of metallurgical furnaces and process vessels are lined by several types of refractories. The harsh smelting conditions result in continuous refractory wear and deterioration which ultimately causes furnace to reline. For many vessels, the asset management workflow and refractory maintenance is predominantly proactive, and time based. Non-Destructive testing (NDT) methods can be utilized to change the traditional maintenance practices to a predictive and data-based decision-making function. In addition to reducing furnace refractory lining failures and molten metal leaks and run outs, this could potentially reduce the amount of highly toxically contaminated refractory waste disposal globally. In this paper, we review the NDT techniques that are utilized to determine refractory lining thicknesses and conditions in furnaces and process vessels.

Abstract Background Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) remains one of the most important infectious diseases for the pig industry. A novel small-scale transmission experiment was designed to assess whether the WUR0000125 (WUR for Wageningen University and Research) PRRS resilience single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) confers lower susceptibility and infectivity to pigs under natural porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV-2) transmission. Methods Commercial full- and half-sib piglets (n = 164) were assigned as either Inoculation, Shedder, or Contact pigs. Pigs were grouped according to their relatedness structure and WUR genotype, with R− and R+ referring to pigs with zero and one copy of the dominant WUR resilience allele, respectively. Barcoding of the PRRSV-2 strain (SD09-200) was applied to track pig genotype-specific transmission. Blood and nasal swab samples were collected and concentrations of PRRSV-2 were determined by quantitative (q)-PCR and cell culture and expressed in units of median tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50). The Log10TCID50 at each sampling event, derived infection status, and area under the curve (AUC) were response variables in linear and generalized linear mixed models to infer WUR genotype differences in Contact pig susceptibility and Shedder pig infectivity. Results All Shedder and Contact pigs, except one, became infected through natural transmission. There was no significant (p > 0.05) effect of Contact pig genotype on any virus measures that would indicate WUR genotype differences in susceptibility. Contact pigs tended to have higher serum AUC (p = 0.017) and log10TCID50 (p = 0.034) when infected by an R+ shedder, potentially due to more infectious R+ shedders at the early stages of the transmission trial. However, no significant Shedder genotype effect was found in serum (p = 0.274) or nasal secretion (p = 0.951) that would indicate genotype differences in infectivity. Conclusions The novel design demonstrated that it is possible to estimate genotype effects on Shedder pig infectivity and Contact pig susceptibility that are not confounded by family effects. The study, however, provided no supportive evidence that genetic selection on WUR genotype would affect PRRSV-2 transmission. The results of this study need to be independently validated in a larger trial using different PRRSV strains before dismissing the effects of the WUR marker or the previously detected GBP5 gene on PRRSV transmission.

This article compares the treatment of honorifics in English translations of Hong Lou Meng by Henry Bencraft Joly, a British diplomat and David Hawkes, a British sinologist, in light of Translator Behaviour Criticism (TBC). The research adopts an integral method that starts with a textual analysis of the translator’s construal choices, then examines the identification of the translator’s behaviour pattern and finally his social motivations. The analysis has led to five major findings: 1) Joly’s version intended to preserve the traditional Chinese ritual culture contained in the honorifics and attached great importance to restoring the honorific function of the original address terms. 2) Joly tended to subscribe to the “truth-seeking” principle even at the cost of readability to maintain the original honorifics’ function. Nonetheless, in effect, he did it to translate and annotate a teaching material for British diplomatic interns, which led to the alignment of his “truth-seeking” behaviour with his “utility-attaining” pursuit. 3) Hawkes’ version, upholding the “utility-attaining” principle, established an addressing system adapted to the target language readers’ cognitive habits with the social norms and family relations of the modern English world taken as background domain. He also made use of some creative translation strategies that had enhanced expressivity and influenced the characterization. 4) Hawkes’ “utility-attaining” behaviour is sustained by a “truth-seeking” basis because he aspired to reconstruct in modern English the literariness of the classic Chinese novel. 5) The different behaviours of the two translators demonstrated through construal choices in translating the honorifics in the novel conform to their respective social identities and professional habitus.

The moral credential effect is the phenomenon where an initial behavior that presumably establishes one as moral “licenses” the person to subsequently engage in morally questionable behaviors. In line with this effect, Monin and Miller (2001, Study 2) found that participants who initially had an opportunity to hire a job candidate from disadvantaged groups (vs. those without such an opportunity) subsequently indicated preferences that were more likely to be perceived as prejudiced. We conducted a direct replication of this study with US participants on a crowdsourcing platform (n after exclusion = 932). We found no support for a consistent moral credential effect: the effect was close to zero in a scenario where participants indicated their preferences to hire from different ethnicities (d = 0.02 to 0.08, depending on inclusion criteria), and was in the opposite direction in a scenario where they indicated preferences for different genders (d = –0.50 to –0.38). With two extensions to the original study design, we found no evidence that domain-inconsistent moral credentials are less effective in licensing than domain-consistent moral credentials and that moral credentials moderate the association between reputational concern and expressing potentially prejudiced preferences. All materials, data, and analysis scripts are shared at https://osf.io/phym3. This Registered Report has been endorsed by Peer Community In Registered Reports: https://doi.org/10.24072/pci.rr.100726.

Infrastructures which were constructed in the last century are approaching or have exceeded their design life. It is essential to maintain, repair and rehabilitate existing structures to ensure safety and develop a sensible rehabilitation plan. This paper suggests an inspection program for the condition evaluation of existing structures, particularly for structures that are approaching or exceeding their design/campaign lives. Cracking on concrete bridges is often induced by static and cyclic temperature loading. Throughout the service life of the structure, cracks will initiate, propagate, coalesce and form a greater damaged zone. Depending on the location and severity of the crack network; corrosion of reinforcement, debonding between concrete and reinforcement, and spalling of concrete may occur. The implementation of regular inspection or monitoring of structural condition is an essential component of asset management. Early detection of damaged zones can ease scheduling and reduce the cost of repair, which in turn also allows extension of structural lifespan without compromising safety. Similarly, for industrial properties, asset management and rehabilitation programs are paramount as they can significantly reduce capital expenditures in asset maintenance, if implemented prior to or at the early onset of structural degradation. This paper illustrates the use of NDT techniques for the condition assessment of a prestressed concrete bridge, as well as concrete storage silos. Both of which were either approaching or have exceeded their design campaign life and were needing a proper rehabilitation plan. The assessment included crack movement monitoring, crack depth determination, concrete strength estimation, and the detection of debonding between rebar and concrete.

IntroductionAs a largely social behaviour, substance use may have decreased for some youth overall in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, continued use may indicate nonadherence to pandemic-related restrictions and social distancing measures. In a sample of Canadian adolescents (aged 12–19 years), our objective was to examine how substance use (cannabis, binge drinking, cigarettes, vaping) is associated with perceptions of, and adherence to, early COVID-19-related public health measures, taking into consideration sociodemographic factors. MethodsCross-sectional data were retrieved from online data collected during Year 8 of the COMPASS school-based study, during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic (May–July 2020) in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. We fitted two models using generalized estimating equations to examine how substance use was associated with separate measures of (1) perceptions of, and (2) adherence to early COVID-19 restrictions. ResultsIn our sample, 10% of adolescents perceived COVID-19 restrictions as too weak and 14% perceived them as too strict. Nearly half (46%) reported taking restrictions very seriously, and 5% did not take them seriously at all. Binge drinking, cigarette use and vaping were associated with perceptions that restrictions were too strict and with nonadherence. However, adolescents who used cannabis were less likely to perceive COVID-19-related restrictions as too strict. ConclusionThis study highlights the association of adolescent substance use with perceptions of, and adherence to, COVID-19-related public health restrictions in Canada. Our findings emphasize a need for continual monitoring of substance use behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic to better characterize adolescent risk and further inform targeted public health strategies accordingly.

IntroductionDans la mesure où la consommation de substances est un comportement principalement social, elle est susceptible d’avoir diminué chez certains jeunes partout au Canada pendant la pandémie de COVID-19, et le maintien d’une consommation est susceptible d’indiquer un non-respect des restrictions liées à la pandémie et des mesures de distanciation physique. Notre objectif était d’analyser, dans un échantillon composé d’adolescents canadiens (de 12 à 19 ans), la manière dont la consommation de substances (cannabis, consommation excessive d’alcool, cigarettes, produits de vapotage) est associée aux perceptions et au respect des premières mesures de santé publique liées à la COVID-19, en tenant compte de facteurs sociodémographiques. MéthodologieDes données transversales ont été extraites des données en ligne recueillies au cours de la huitième année de l’étude réalisée en milieu scolaire COMPASS, pendant les premiers mois de la pandémie de COVID-19 (mai à juillet 2020) en Colombie-Britannique, en Ontario et au Québec. Nous avons ajusté deux modèles à l’aide d’équations d’estimation généralisées afin d’analyser la manière dont la consommation de substances était associée à deux mesures : celle des perceptions à l’égard des premières restrictions liées à la COVID-19 et celle du respect de ces restrictions. RésultatsDans notre échantillon, 10 % des adolescents ont perçu les restrictions liées à la COVID-19 comme étant trop faibles et 14 % les ont perçues comme étant trop strictes. Près de la moitié (46 %) des répondants ont déclaré avoir pris les restrictions très au sérieux, et 5 % ne les ont aucunement prises au sérieux. La consommation excessive d’alcool (« binge drinking »), l’usage de la cigarette et le vapotage ont été associés à des perceptions selon lesquelles les restrictions étaient trop strictes et au non-respect de ces restrictions. Toutefois, les adolescents consommant du cannabis étaient moins susceptibles de percevoir les restrictions liées à la COVID-19 comme trop strictes. ConclusionCette étude fait ressortir le lien entre la consommation de substances chez les adolescents et leurs perceptions et leur respect à l’égard des restrictions de santé publique liées à la COVID-19 au Canada. Nos constatations mettent en évidence la nécessité d’assurer une surveillance continue des comportements de consommation de substances pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 afin de mieux caractériser les risques à l’adolescence et de guider en conséquence les stratégies de santé publique ciblées.

This study examined parent-child interactions during foreign-language shared reading of Anglophone picturebooks at home by Chinese parents. It is among the first to probe foreign-language shared reading in the home setting. Data was obtained from in-depth ethnographic observation of seven parent-child dyads and from interviews, with a survey comprising 565 parent respondents providing background for this wider evidence. A grounded theory approach was applied to generate a new, five-part typology of Chinese parents' English picturebook reading practices. This new typology reveals the diversity of parent-child interaction processes by categorizing them according to five foci: the literal focus, the literacy skill focus, the literary focus, the exploratory focus and the digital focus. The findings of this study may have a reciprocal effect on the study of first- and second-language shared reading practices and can be applied to analysis of or intervention in shared reading, at home or in school settings.

This study explores the extraction of cellulose from corn tassels using an alkaline pretreatment followed by a bleaching process, aiming to address the challenge of non-biodegradable microbead production. The process involved the delignification of corn tassels using a sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution, followed by bleaching with a combination of NaOH and acetic acid. The cellulose was then characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The results showed that the alkaline treatment effectively removed hemicellulose, lignin, and other impurities, enhancing the cellulose content and altering its structural and thermal properties. The extracted cellulose exhibited a crystallinity index of 44.97%, with a higher amorphous content of 55.03%, indicating the presence of disordered materials. TGA analysis revealed that the cellulose underwent two-step thermal decomposition, with a primary stage between 46.75°C and 349.02°C, and a secondary phase from 396.82°C to 697.43°C. The study demonstrates that corn tassels, often regarded as agricultural waste, can be effectively utilized to extract cellulose, offering a sustainable alternative for applications requiring biodegradable materials.

In this study, the causal relationship between seasonal variations in surface conditions and DSS generation was investigated through the integrated use of the C-band backscatter coefficient (J 0) of the Sentinel 1 microwave satellite from the optical satellite sensor (Terra/MODIS). Because of the very high reflectance of the background soil in sparsely vegetated bare land, it has been difficult to rely solely on optical satellite data for accurate surface condition assessment in previous studies. Therefore, we used SAR and optical data to represent the spatial variability of backscatter coefficients for different surface conditions in the Gobi Desert and Steppe areas, and employed the C-band backscatter coefficient from the Sentinel-1 microwave satellite as a key parameter. The results show that in the Gobi Desert region, the correlation between the seasonal variation of backscatter coefficients and NDVI is highly significant, with a maximum correlation coefficient in fall (R=0.645, p

In order to adapt to the trend of intelligent development in power operation sites and solve practical problems such as inadequate supervision of traditional power operation sites, this article mainly studies the linkage technology between power operation site videos and Beidou high-precision positioning terminals. Based on the application scenarios of the BeiDou positioning system in power operations, this paper summarizes the linkage technology between on-site video and BeiDou high-precision positioning terminals in power operations, and concludes that this technology is suitable for safety control of personnel in power operation sites, inspection and supervision of power lines, monitoring and early warning of inclined and collapsed transmission line towers. Research has found that the linkage technology between on-site video of power operations and Beidou high-precision positioning terminals can promote the intelligent development of power operations and achieve higher precision on-site control of power operations.

During the construction of highway reconstruction and expansion projects, safety management plays an important role in engineering protection. Taking the reconstruction and expansion project of Laiwu Tai’an section of Qinglan expressway as an example, this paper introduces the process of using LEC Method to carry out risk identification and risk assessment for each stage of construction in the project construction stage, and using PDCA cycle method to take special safety measures for possible risks, to establish a safety management system suitable for the project. Under the guarantee of this safety management system, the project was successfully completed and safely passed the special period of Covid-19.

Global mining operations produce significant amounts of soil waste referred to as tailings. In oil sands mining, a portion of the deposited tailings is extremely soft and is primarily in a fluid state with solid contents (by weight) ranging between 30% and 40%. As part of reclaiming its Pond 5 oil sands tailings pond, Suncor constructed an engineered “floating” cover on top of the soft tailings deposits between 2010 and 2017 over an area spanning approximately 200 hectares to provide trafficability for limited construction equipment. This initial cover consisted of two layers of geosynthetics overlain by 2 m of petroleum coke. After construction of the initial cover, Vertical Strip Drains (VSDs) were installed through the majority of the capped area to enhance the consolidation rate of the underlying soft tailings. Additional coke has been placed on top of the initial coke cover to a total thickness of 4 m to 6 m. Previous publications have discussed the cover design, installation details of the geosynthetics, installation and performance of the VSDs, and performance of the cover. This paper presents the geosynthetics design, inspection of the geosynthetics post cover construction, and an update on the performance of the coke cover.

Marijuana is the most frequently reported illicit substance in the United States. However, limited studies have delved into the analysis of marijuana use as a count variable, in which the distribution often exhibits overdispersion and notable occurrences of zero values. This study encompassed a total of 58,034 individuals, with12,528 having reported marijuana use in the past year from the 2021 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health data. Marijuana use was measured by number of days used in the past year. Three distributions were compared including normal distribution, Poisson, and Negative Binomial (NB) distributions. The Akaike information criterion (AIC), corrected AIC (AICC), consistent AIC (CAIC), and the Bayesian information criterion (BIC) statistics were used to select the best distribution. The overall prevalence of past-year marijuana use was 21.6%. The NB regression model proved to be the best with lowest AIC, AICC, CAIC, and BIC values compared with linear and Poisson models. According to the NB model, African American and age 18–64 years were associated with increased days of marijuana use, whereas, females, rural living, Asian and Hispanic were associated with decreased days of marijuana use. The findings can guide healthcare providers when screening for marijuana use in general population.

Randomly dividing 160 cases into two groups, the research group was given conventional chemotherapy while the other was exposed to in vitro cultured calculus bovis, in order to evaluate the impact of this on the quality of life and immune function of those with non-small cell lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy. The clinical efficacy, quality of life scale (QLQ-C30, QLQ-LCL3) scores and immune indexes (CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+) were evaluated after two chemotherapy cycles. The comparison of clinical efficacy between the two groups yielded significant results (P >0.05). After treatment, physical, emotional, and fatigue scores in the comparison group increased significantly (P

The forming limit curve (FLC) has been commonly used tool to predict the metal forming cracking in engineering. Whereas, based on the assumption of plane stress state, the formability prediction of thick sheet of hot-rolled high-strength steels is quite different from the experimental measurement. Finite element simulation was used to study the effect of sheet thickness. It is found that extra stress along thickness is introduced between inside and outside the instability region, which become larger increased. Additionally, the visco-plastic self-consistent (VPSC) model and the M-K model are combined to establish the VPSC-MK model for investigating the influence of thickness difference. With reasonable capture of thickness stress, accurate prediction of FLC under different sheet thickness of hot rolled high-strength steel (HR-HSS) is well realized via VPSC-MK model. That is, it is revealed that the sheet thickness effect for HR-HSS mainly origins from normal stress induced during necking process.

This article delves into the adjustment strategies for high water cut oil fields in the later stage of water flooding and their impact on oilfield performance. We conducted a series of experiments, including optimizing the layout of injection wells, comparing water quality improvement measures, comparing oilfield management and operation strategies, and applying efficient oil recovery technologies, to analyze and evaluate the effects of different strategies in detail. The experimental results indicate that the production and recovery rate of the oilfield show a stable increase over time, starting from an initial value of approximately 95 units. At the end of the 10th time cycle, this indicator accumulated to around 950 units. This indicates that artificial lifting technology has shown stable performance in improving oilfield performance. The results of this study emphasize the importance of adjusting strategies. By optimizing the layout of water injection wells, improving water quality, optimizing management and operation, and applying efficient oil recovery technologies, it is possible to significantly increase the production and recovery rate of oil fields in the later stage of water flooding with ultra-high water content, reduce the expansion of water shear zones, and achieve better economic benefits and sustainable development. These results are of great significance for practical applications in the field of petroleum engineering.

Based on the main functions of the wind farm regional centralized control system, this article takes data standardization as the starting point and provides the detailed principles and main methods of data standardization in regional centralized control construction, including standardization of collection methods, standardization of measurement point content, standardization of wind turbine status and standardization of event information. The role of data standardization in refined management of wind power production is analyzed, which is reflected in improving management efficiency, optimizing operation and maintenance modes, assisting decision-making analysis in three aspects. It can provide a reference for other centralized control centers in the wind power industry to carry out data standardization work.

The ultra large aspect ratio gear structure is increasingly widely used in gearboxes for aerospace, high-speed equipment, and heavy equipment to meet the performance requirements of narrow center distance and high torque. The conventional gear specification calculation accuracy is difficult to meet the performance requirements of ultra large aspect ratio gears. The article comprehensively summarizes the current mainstream methods for gear modification and dynamic performance research. It is recommended to use the finite element method to calculate the bending deformation, shear deformation, compression deformation, gear matrix deformation, Hertz contact deformation, and gear meshing stiffness of the gear teeth, coupled with the bending and torsional deformation of the gear shaft under bearing constraints. In the presence of uncertain factors such as manufacturing and installation, accurate gear contact deformation and modification results can be calculated. Furthermore, a robust optimization method for uncertain systems is adopted to reduce the transmission error fluctuations of gears from the source of gearbox vibration, in order to achieve robust dynamic optimization effects.

Excessive accumulation of nitrate (NO3-) can lead to eutrophication and ecological degradation, while also posing potential hazards to human health. The conventional Haber-Bosch process for ammonia synthesis, while effective, comes with a heavy environmental toll due to its energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Fortunately, electrocatalytic nitrate reduction (NO3RR) offers a greener alternative, converting nitrates into nitrogen and ammonia, thus curbing environmental pollution while enabling ammonia recycling. MXene, characterized by its high conductivity, large specific surface area, and abundant surface functional groups, emerges as a promising catalytic material for NO3RR applications. This review offers an in-depth investigation into the application of MXene-based materials in NO3RR, elucidating strategies to enhance MXene catalytic efficiency through surface functionalization, defect engineering, and composite material synthesis. The challenges and future research directions for MXene in NO3RR are outlined. The aim is to provide a theoretical framework and practical guidance for the design and improvement of NO3RR catalysts, with the goal of enhancing their reaction efficiency and sustainability.

Atherosclerosis is a disease that occurs in blood vessels and is also responsible for numerous diseases, including coronary heart disease and cerebral infarction. It can affect the function of many organs of the human body, cause great damage to human health, and the incidence is high in the middle-aged and elderly people. The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is very complex, which is the result of inflammation caused by lipid deposition on the blood vessel wall. At present, aspirin is the most commonly used drug in clinic. It has strong anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic effects. In addition, high density lipoprotein, or HDL, can transport cholesterol in the blood vessels, and it does exert some influence on the treatment of atherosclerosis, but the exact therapeutic pathway is still the subject of ongoing research. This paper illustrates the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, and introduces the mechanism and feasibility of two therapeutic modalities, aspirin and HDL, and gives a reasonable future research direction.

The predominance of water flow at strata boundaries often triggers dam and levee failures. However, research on the porosity and water flow at soil-structure boundaries is insufficient despite the fact that the fact that their significant influence on water flows through soil is due to high porosity caused by compaction difficulties in the boundary region. Additionally, observing the interior of soil by conventional experimental methods is challenging, making it difficult to precisely determine the exact differences between the boundary area and surrounding grounds. Therefore, transparent soil techniques were employed to investigate the interior of the soil and the impact of soil-structure boundaries on flow path formation. The experiment identified two critical properties at the soil-structure boundary: relatively high porosity and the maximum average velocity of the fluid during permeability, both occurring at the interface. The good connectivity of the pores at the boundary is due to the barrier effect of the flat wall, which causes water to flow vertically upward along the boundary. In contrast, water flows meanderingly upward in the interior area of the soil, resulting in a two-dimensional movement at the boundary compared to a three-dimensional movement in the interior of the soil.

Particle rolling is an essential microscopic mechanism that governs macroscopic behavior. This study conducts biaxial shearing tests on bi-dispersed circular discs at different confining pressures. A novel 2D image analysis technique is employed to measure the rolling of all the particles. It is observed that most of the particles exhibit significant rolling during shearing. Rollings are normally distributed in clockwise and counterclockwise directions, and the net rolling of the granular assembly is almost zero. Generally, the rolling of a particle is accompanied by its neighboring particle’s opposite rolling in a similar magnitude. In some cases, a group of particles is observed to exhibit rolling in the same direction, accompanied by another opposite rolling group in the neighboring regions. Particles inside the shear band tend to show significant rolling. The rolling rate is prominent at the beginning of the shearing and gradually decreases towards the end. Small particles exhibit significantly higher rotations, while larger particles are relatively resistant to rolling. Small particles work as ball bearings between two big particles, reducing the shear strength of the granular materials. The experimental data obtained in this study can be used to perform detailed validation of numerical models to simulate realistic granular behavior such as DEM.

This study is based on the questionnaire data from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) to analyze the association between lifestyle, psychological status, and the prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) among Chinese adults aged 60 and above. A total of 9,695 participants were included in the study. Variance analysis, binary logistic regression, negative binomial regression and random forest were employed to examine the impact of sociodemographic factors (gender, highest level of education, marital status), lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, sleep), and depression on diabetes, as well as the mediating role of depression. The results indicate that both lifestyle factors and depression have varying degrees of influence on diabetes. Additionally, the highest level of education and marital status are associated with diabetes through their effects on depression.

At present, with the development of “double-carbon”, it has an important impact on the investment form of the power grid, and the emerging investment objects continue to expand, and the new investment management mode is constantly highlighted. In this context, in-depth research is carried out on the total factor carbon measurement of new power system construction projects, and the total factor measurement framework system and technical method are put forward, which is conducive to improving the efficiency and efficiency level of investment control of power grid enterprises. Therefore, this paper puts forward the implicit carbon measurement and structure decomposition technology of power grid engineering based on structural analysis method, which provides support and reference for project type division and scientific decision-making under the new situation of power grid enterprises.

With the rapid development of China’s tourism industry and the upgrading of residents’ consumption structure, competition in the industry has shifted from enterprise-level to supply chain-level. As a result, the tourism supply chain has garnered significant attention. This paper analyzes the tourism industry in the Altay region and concludes that there are still problems with the tourism supply chain, such as unclear departmental management responsibilities, unreasonable resource allocation and maintenance planning, and a lack of cross-scenic area cooperation awareness. From a supply chain perspective, research on the coordination and management of tourism resources in the Altay region of Xinjiang is crucial. This study aims to explore the development of a green tourism supply chain in the Altay region by combining the characteristics and challenges of the tourism industry in the area with successful tourism supply chain cases from both domestic and international sources. The study also aims to propose effective coordination and management strategies for the tourism supply chain in the Altay region to optimize resource utilization. Additionally, suggestions for improving the coordination of the tourism supply chain in the area will be enumerated.

In the current environment of China's vigorous development of energy storage, it is essential to carry out research on the benefits and economic evaluation of new energy storage. This paper establishes a framework for analyzing the revenue models of various types of energy storage under different scenarios. The framework complements the lack of previous studies on energy storage regulation under power generation systems such as wind power and coal power. In addition, a variety of scenarios were developed for the application of energy storage in the spot market, secondary service market, capacity market and user-side trading market. The results show that the case study energy storage plant has the highest revenue in the spot market, followed by the capacity market, and relatively low revenue in the secondary service market, while the leasing service can also bring a lot of revenue for the energy storage plant and thus become one of the more promising energy storage revenue models in the future.

Enhancement of system resilience of microgrid is important when the system is operated in the islanded mode. The commonly used clean energy in microgrid is the intermittent renewable energy which would deteriorate the system resilience of microgrid. To solve this problem, the residual energy pre-served in the energy storage system is introduced in this paper to extend the time duration of fundamental load demand when the power outage is present. The experiment is implemented in the demo system in the campus of National Central University to verify the performance of proposed management strategy.

In the context of the dual-carbon goal, improving the level of scientific and technological innovation of modern carbon emissions and achieving comprehensive green development are not only one of the trends and important reform directions of today’s world development, but also the core content of achieving sustainable development. Taking the power industry as an important breakthrough, this paper uses blockchain technology and privacy computing technology to integrate data from the government, power grid, taxation and banks, and proposes a blockchain-based privacy computing algorithm for carbon emission scores to create an execution environment for trusted sharing of carbon emission data, expand channels for carbon emission data collection, and give full play to the value of big data on carbon emissions. Promote the realization of dual carbon goals as soon as possible.

During the construction of overhead transmission lines, it is difficult for construction equipment to arrival the site, and it is difficult to evaluate the optimal approach comprehensively. In this paper, the evaluation of construction temporary road schemes is built, and a multi-dimensional evaluation index system covering the indicators such as technical factors, economy, environment, safety is constructed. The weight of each evaluation index is determined by analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and the comprehensive score of the scheme is obtained, so as to realize the comprehensive ranking of the approach scheme, which can help make decisions of the optimal approach scheme.

With the continuous progress and innovation of science and technology, the demand and requirements for energy in modern society are getting higher and higher. The system application of liquid cooling and intelligent control algorithm coupling energy management can adapt to this demand and provide more efficient, accurate and intelligent energy management solutions. On the basis of a brief introduction to the current energy problems, the principle of liquid cooling technology and intelligent control algorithm are expounded, the design and key technologies of liquid cooling system and intelligent control algorithm are analyzed. The liquid cooling system based on fuzzy control is studied. The liquid cooling system based on fuzzy control can quickly and accurately respond to equipment temperature changes, avoid equipment damage due to overheating, and improve energy utilization efficiency and reduce energy waste. On the basis of a brief introduction to the current energy problems, this study describes the principle of liquid cooling technology and intelligent control algorithm, focuses on the design and key technologies of liquid cooling system and intelligent control algorithm, and studies the liquid cooling system based on fuzzy control. The liquid cooling system based on fuzzy control can quickly and accurately respond to equipment temperature changes, avoid equipment damage due to overheating, and can improve energy utilization efficiency and reduce energy waste.

This comprehensive article delves into the intricate relationship between education and economic development, highlighting the profound implications of investments in human capital. It explores the role of education as a catalyst for economic growth, emphasizing its contributions to innovation, workforce productivity, and attracting foreign investments. Beyond economic gains, the article examines the socio-economic benefits of education, including improved governance, public health, and family planning. It underscores the transformative power of prioritizing female education and addresses the challenges posed by the digital age, emphasizing the importance of STEM education and soft skills. The article also emphasizes global collaboration in education and presents case studies of initiatives such as the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and the Teach for All network. Ultimately, it underscores the imperative of placing education at the forefront of development.

Ideological and Political Education in the Curriculum is a new type of teaching concept. The author of the Guangzhou Polytechnic Institute of Environmental Design professional courses as an example, to find out the urgent problems, combined with the PSPL research method for the ecological design of artificial engineering practice class research means research an old district in Guangzhou environmental space as an entry point, through the street environment and the residents of the study and analysis, analysis of the problems, put forward the design strategy and program, on the It provides design and ideas for the protection and development of urban renewal, and at the same time, builds a new mode of teaching with the connotation of thinking and politics for the professional course of environmental design, which is based on the practice of actual knowledge.

At present, with the continuous advancement of urban development, an increasing number of regional overall development projects utilize the planning implementation platform to carry out design control and construction throughout the full life cycle of the project. However, the lack of relevant standards and research leads to some problems in practical projects, such as the unchanged thinking mode of planning management and control, and the lack of unified standards for the preparation of technical documents like the regional master plan and management manual of the planning implementation platform. To this end, this paper will focus on the content and composition of the management manual, clarify its construction logic and content, construct a factor library for this manual, provide references for the application of related projects, and promote the orderly development of project construction and development.

The language of the Analects of Confucius is concise, rich in connotation and highly abstract, so the problem of lack of meaning or semantic insufficiency is very obvious, and the numerical meaning is one of the most obvious examples. Based on Susan Bassnett view of cultural translation, this paper analyzes Gu Hongming’s translated version of Analects and finds that there are great cultural differences between Chinese and Western numerals in terms of definite reference and vague reference. In addition to definite reference, Chinese numbers also have the function of vague reference; In English, numbers are mostly used in definite reference, and vague reference is mostly based on larger numbers. This increases the difficulty for translators and readers to understand the original work. In addition to having a solid bilingual foundation, the translator should have a profound bilingual cultural knowledge to realize the translation of cultural information behind the language. The theory of cultural translation has certain feasibility in guiding the translation of Chinese classics into English, which can promote the foreign translation of Chinese classics and has certain practical significance in promoting the transmission of Chinese culture to the world.

Chinese quantifiers are heavily loaded with Chinese culture, making it challenging to translate them into idiomatic English. The majority of earlier studies only examined linguistically the English translations of Chinese quantifiers. The interpretation of linguistic information, however, is a developing and pivotal stage of cognition in the translation process. Under the umbrella of cognitive iconicity, the research of cognitive distance between linguistic forms is being conducted. Therefore, it makes sense to talk about cognitive iconicity while discussing the English translation of Chinese nominal quantifiers. Based on the definition as well as the function of Chinese quantifiers, this research summarized four translation methods from a viewpoint of individual nominal quantifiers, namely, the omission of iconicity, the retention of iconicity, the conversion of iconicity, and the addition of iconicity. And then it further discussed the selection process of English translation version of Chinese nominal quantifiers.

Enhancing accessibility to English education in developing nations is a complex challenge that demands global cooperation. This article highlights the importance of collaborative efforts involving govern-ments, NGOs, and educational institutions. It outlines key strategies, including technology integration, teacher training, and promoting equitable access, to empower learners in developing countries with essential linguistic skills for a globalized world. The article underscores the need to ensure that English education becomes uni-versally accessible, transcending geographic and socioeconomic boundaries, and serving as a catalyst for a brighter future for all.

China proposes to cultivate 200,000 field engineers by 2025, and clearly points out that it is necessary cultivate a team of high-quality technical and skilled talents who are “proficient in operation, have indepth understanding of processes, possess management skills, capable of collaboration, and be able to innovate”. The core of the cultivation lies in deepening the integration of industry and education, school-enterprise cooperation, and deepening and expanding the existing apprenticeship cultivation model. The core of its training mode lies in deepening the integration of industry and education, deepening the school-enterprise cooperation, and expanding the existing apprenticeship training mode. It has been proved that the main constraint to the realisation of the above goal is that a team of qualified teachers has not yet been established. In order to solve this problem, this paper starts from China’s national vocational education field engineer training programme, applies symbiosis theory to vocational education research, further optimizes China’s existing apprenticeship training model, builds a triangular structural model of structured teacher teams for field engineers, and eventually forms a mutually beneficial and win-win collaboration model for all stakeholders to solve the problem of building the required teacher teams for field engineers’ training. The final result is a mutually beneficial collaborative model for all stakeholders.

This academic article ventures into the complex and nuanced world of script analysis and directorial conceptualization in drama and film, shedding light on their significant impact on the creation and interpretation of cinematic works. It delves into how a script serves not only as a narrative blueprint but also as a springboard for creative exploration, allowing directors to infuse their unique artistic visions. The article examines the multifaceted process of script breakdown, character development, and thematic exploration, highlighting how directors interpret and adapt written narratives to the screen. It explores the symbiotic relationship between the written word and visual storytelling, emphasizing how directors' choices in cinematography, casting, and production design contribute to the overall narrative and emotional impact of a film. Through detailed analysis of case studies and directorial techniques, this study aims to reveal the intricate interplay between script and screen, offering insights into the transformative journey from script to cinematic masterpiece.

Poor rich water sand flow plasticity and permeability coefficient, Angle of internal friction, etc. For effective control, avoid and reduce the subway next in action in the process of river construction risk, guarantee the construction task smoothly. For the construction of risk source analysis and identification of system construction of risk hierarchy, using analytic hierarchy process (ahp) and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to find the risk of subway construction. The results show that the construction has a "medium risk" and easy to rise to the "high risk".

The heat and mass exchange of CO2 in a vertical U-tube under supercritical pressure was simulated. The effects of the geometry of the bend area, The center arc radius of the bend area and the different bend orientations on the flow heat transfer of supercritical CO2 in the U-tube were analyzed. The results show that in the bend area, the flow is affected by the combined action of centrifugal force and gravity, as well as the pipe structure, so the flow mixing is intense, and the heat transfer capacity is significantly enhanced. When the direction of the bend changes, the interaction between centrifugal force and gravity will affect the heat transfer at pipe bending. When the central arc radius r of the bend area increases from 0.5D to 3D, the heat transfer at the bend can be strengthened, but will weaken the heat transfer at the bend outlet area.

The review mainly concludes the impact of three leadership styles, inclusive, transformational and authentic, on employees’ initiative behavior. The comparative method and literature analysis method are the research methods which used. Through the above methods, this study finds that different leadership styles have different degrees of influence on employees’ initiative behavior. Meanwhile, this study also recognizes that management style has a universally favorable orientation effect on employees’ active behavior, whether from its own theoretical framework or leadership level. Also, it finds that most of the effects are influenced by indirect factors rather than direct ones. This study has wide knowledge coverage and a large knowledge span by reading a lot number of domestic and foreign literature. And it is committed to providing more vision and more effective information for subsequent researchers. At the same time, based on the lack of existing authoritative literature on this subject and the narrow research direction, this research wants to attract more people to pay attention to this field and contribute to its development.

In various academic disciplines and contexts, the value attributed to the natural environment encompasses two primary dimensions: the economic significance, which pertains to the economic value of the natural environment, and the philosophical dimension, which refers to the intrinsic (or subjective) value of the natural environment. This paper, after scrutinizing prevalent perspectives within the academic community regarding the value of the natural environment and its origins, asserts that the labor theory of value inadequately and inaccurately captures the essence of the natural environment’s value. Consequently, the paper suggests employing the “material theory of value” as a more apt framework to elucidate the origins of the natural environment’s value. The “material value theory” centers on the reciprocal relationship between humans and nature, with the objective of fostering an equitable exchange wherein human responsibilities and obligations toward the natural environment are traded for the “value” it provides. This approach aims to establish a harmonious and balanced exchange between humanity and the natural environment.

Digital educational resources serve as vital vehicles for the realization of educational digitization. The application of digital educational resources holds significant practical significance as it can enhance the quality and efficiency of education, improve teaching standards, and foster students’ proactive learning in the context of creating efficient classrooms. This paper employs a questionnaire survey approach to gain insights from the perspective of university students into the application of digital educational resources in university classroom teaching. Specifically, it delves into the current state of digital educational resource utilization, students’ usage preferences, diverse learning requirements, efficacy, satisfaction, and an analysis of issues encountered during their application. The aim is to offer fresh insights and decision-making references to boost the effective utilization of digital educational resources, promote student-driven learning, optimize the teaching process, and enhance teaching quality.

Implication Statement Spirituality involves one’s sense of purpose, connection with others, and ability to find meaning in life. We implemented a three-year pilot of a spiritual history taking (SHT) clinical skills session. In small groups, medical students discussed and practiced SHT with clinical scenarios and the FICA framework and received preceptor and peer feedback. Post-session focus groups and interviews demonstrated student perceptions of improved comfort, knowledge, and awareness of discussing spirituality with patients. This innovation may support improved clinical skills teaching across other health professions institutions to better prepare students to recognize patients’ spiritual needs and provide more holistic, culturally competent care.

By using silver (Ag) in nanostructured (nanowire, nanosphere, etc.) or thin-layer form as a catalyst for electrochemical CO2 reduction, very high CO-forming selectivity of almost 100% can be achieved. Supported by gas diffusion layers (GDLs), the reactant CO2 in the gas phase can approach and potentially access active Ag sites, which allows current densities in the range of a few hundred mA cm–2 to be reached. Yet, the stability of gas diffusion electrode (GDE) based electrochemical CO2-to-CO converters is far from perfect, and the activity of GDE cathodes, especially when operated at high current densities, often significantly decays during electrolyses after no more than a few hours. The primary reason of stability losses in GDE-based CO2-to-CO electrolysers is flooding: that is, the excess wetting of the GDE that prevents CO2 from reaching Ag catalytic sites. In the past years, the authors of this paper at Empa and at the University of Bern, cooperating with other partners of the National Competence Center for Research (NCCR) on Catalysis, took different approaches to overcome flooding. While opinions differ with regard to where the first line of defense in protecting GDEs from flooding should lie, a comparison of the recent results of the two groups gives unique insight into the nature of processes occurring in GDE cathodes used for CO2 electrolysis.