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The advantages inherent to autonomous vehicle platoons render them a pivotal component in the evolution of intelligent transportation systems. Given the minimal spacing between vehicles in such a platoon, ensuring collision-free travel necessitates a more rapid estimation of the road friction coefficient. Capitalizing on the vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication prevalent amongst platoon members, this paper introduces a platoon joint extended Kalman filter (EKF) estimator to expedite the trailing vehicles’ estimation of the road friction coefficient. A decision logic module is also designed within the EKF estimator of the following vehicles to process signals transmitted from the leading vehicle, achieving the objectives of signal assessment and reception. In the simulation scenarios presented in this study, the results of the platoon joint EKF estimation for the road friction coefficient, when compared to the results of an individual vehicle EKF estimation, show an improvement in estimation speed by 50% for butt roads and between 25%-80% for split roads. This attests to the efficacy of the proposed method, offering a reference for autonomous vehicle platoons to swiftly estimate road conditions and adjust inter-vehicle distances, thereby enhancing the safety of the platoon when road information changes.

Due to the high center of gravity of distributed drive electric buses, it is crucial to enhance their stability and sliding mode control (SMC) is an effective method to enhance vehicle yaw stability. However, the traditional SMC needs to know the upper limits of the interference term in advance and select a better switching gain to obtain a better control effect, which is impossible for vehicle control. To solve the existing problems, an improved adaptive nonsingular fast terminal sliding mode (ANFTSM) control is presented to enhance the stability of distributed drive electric bus. An uncertainty term is introduced as a switching term in the sliding mode variable and the switching gain in the controller is obtained by parameter adaptation without knowing any uncertainty information. In addition, to enhance the stability of the vehicle in real-time, an adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) for the weighting factor in the sliding surface is adjusted. A co-simulation of Matlab/Simulink–TruckSim is performed to verify the effectiveness of the algorithm under two typical conditions. The results indicate that the proposed control can follow the ideal value better which improves handling stability and chattering is weaker. Furthermore, the proposed control requires fewer control actions, and also reduces the motor torque variation.

To improve the handling stability of distributed drive electric buses, a vehicle stability control system based on direct yaw moment control (DYC) with a hierarchical control structure was designed. Considering that the vehicle dynamics system is highly nonlinear, a nonlinear controller based on Lyapunov stability theory was designed to calculate the required additional yaw moment of the vehicle in the upper controller. In the lower controller, the additional yaw moment is distributed to four wheel-side motors according to the equal proportion torque distribution method, and the direction of wheel-side motor output torque is determined based on the steering state of the vehicle. A co-simulation based on Simulink and Trucksim was conducted to verify the designed controller under two extreme conditions. Simulation results indicate that the proposed method performs feasibly and effectively in the handling stability of vehicles. Compared with traditional sliding mode control (SMC), the proposed control strategy can significantly reduce the chattering of the system, which provides a theoretical basis for the application of this yaw stability control method in engineering practice.

Abstract Background and Aims This study aimed to evaluate the hemodynamic alterations and right heart remodeling dynamics in patients with inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) undergoing treatment with balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA). Methods This retrospective cohort study involved a cohort of 31 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of CTEPH. Comprehensive clinical evaluations were systematically performed before BPA, and at 3 and 6 months following the procedure. Results Significant clinical progress was evidenced by the uplift in the percentage of patients achieving WHO‐FC II, escalating from 19.35% at baseline to 51.61% at 6 months after BPA (p = 0.003). NT‐proBNP levels significantly dropped from a median of 614.6 to 69.9 pg/mL (p

Background: This study aimed to employ plasma proteomics to investigate the molecular changes, pathway alterations, and potential novel biochemical markers associated with balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Methods: Pre- and post-BPA plasma samples from five CTEPH patients in the PRACTICE study were analyzed to identify differentially expressed proteins. Proteomic and bioinformatics analyses were conducted, and the identified proteins were further validated using ELISA assays in a separate cohort of the same study. Correlation and multivariate regression analyses were performed to investigate the associations between these differentially expressed proteins and clinical parameters. Results: Significantly higher serum levels of asialoglycoprotein receptor 2 (ASGR2) were detected in 5 CTEPH patients compared to those in healthy individuals but decreased significantly after successful BPA procedures. The decrease in serum levels of ASGR2 after the completion of BPA procedures was further validated in a separate cohort of 48 patients with CTEPH [0.70 (0.51, 1.11) ng/mL vs. 0.38 (0.27, 0.59) ng/mL, P < 0.001]. Significant associations were found between the pre-BPA ASGR2 level and clinical parameters, including neutrophil percentage (R = 0.285, P < 0.05), platelet (PLT) count (R = 0.386, P < 0.05), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) before BPA (R = -0.285, P < 0.05). Significant associations were detected between post-BPA serum ASGR2 levels and lymphocyte percentage (LYM%) (R = 0.306, P < 0.05), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (R = -0.294, P < 0.05), and pulmonary vascular resistance after BPA (R = -0.35, P < 0.05). Multivariate stepwise regression analysis revealed that pre-BPA ASGR2 levels were associated with HDL-C and PLT count (both P < 0.001), while post-BPA ASGR2 levels were associated with LYM% (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Serum levels of ASGR2 may be a biomarker for the effectiveness of BPA treatment in CTEPH patients. The pre-BPA serum level of ASGR2 in CTEPH patients was associated with HDL-C and the PLT count. The post-BPA serum level of ASGR2 was correlated with the LYM%, which may reflect aspects of immune and inflammatory status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) have common pathophysiological features, such as the significant remodeling of pulmonary parenchyma and vascular wall. There is no effective specific drug in clinical treatment for these two diseases, resulting in a worse prognosis and higher mortality. This study aimed to screen the common key genes and immune characteristics of PF and PH by means of bioinformatics to find new common therapeutic targets. Expression profiles are downloaded from the Gene Expression Database. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis is used to identify the co-expression modules related to PF and PH. We used the ClueGO software to enrich and analyze the common genes in PF and PH and obtained the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network. Then, the differential genes were screened out in another cohort of PF and PH, and the shared genes were crossed. Finally, RT-PCR verification and immune infiltration analysis were performed on the intersection genes. In the result, the positive correlation module with the highest correlation between PF and PH was determined, and it was found that lymphocyte activation is a common feature of the pathophysiology of PF and PH. Eight common characteristic genes (ACTR2, COL5A2, COL6A3, CYSLTR1, IGF1, RSPO3, SCARNA17 and SEL1L) were gained. Immune infiltration showed that compared with the control group, resting CD4 memory T cells were upregulated in PF and PH. Combining the results of crossing characteristic genes in ImmPort database and RT-PCR, the important gene IGF1 was obtained. Knocking down IGF1 could significantly reduce the proliferation and apoptosis resistance in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells, pulmonary smooth muscle cells, and fibroblasts induced by hypoxia, platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), respectively. Our work identified the common biomarkers of PF and PH and provided a new candidate gene for the potential therapeutic targets of PF and PH in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Routing in delay tolerant mobile sensor networks (DTMSNs) is challenging due to the networks’ intermittent connectivity. Most existing routing protocols for DTMSNs use simplistic random mobility models for algorithm design and performance evaluation. In the real world, however, due to the unique characteristics of human mobility, currently existing random mobility models may not work well in environments where mobile sensor units are carried (such as DTMSNs). Taking a person’s social activities into consideration, in this paper, we seek to improve DTMSN routing in terms of social structure and propose an agenda based routing protocol (ARP). In ARP, humans are classified based on their agendas and data transmission is made according to sensor nodes’ transmission rankings. The effectiveness of ARP is demonstrated through comprehensive simulation studies.

Objectives: Mental health problems among university students are a cause of widespread concern. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) delivered online have considerable potential to help university students manage mental health challenges. However, there is no consensus regarding the efficacy of online MBIs. This metaanalysis aims to determine whether MBIs are feasible and effective for improving university students' mental health. Methods: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) inWeb of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and the US National Library of Medicine (Clinical Trial Registry) published through August 31, 2022, were searched. Two reviewers selected the trials, conducted a critical appraisal, and extracted the data. Nine RCTs met our inclusion criteria. Results: This analysis showed that online MBIs were effective in improving depression (standardised mean difference [SMD] = -0.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.48 to -0.07; P = 0.008), anxiety (SMD = -0.47; 95% CI, -080 to -0.14; P = 0.006), stress (SMD = -0.58; 95% CI, -0.79 to -0.37; P < 0.00001), and mindfulness (SMD = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.17 to 1.25; p = 0.009) in university students. No significant effect was found on wellbeing (SMD = 0.30; 95% CI, -0.00 to 0.60; P = 0.05). Conclusion: The findings indicated that online MBIs could effectively improve the mental health of university students. Nevertheless, additional rigorously designed RCTs are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the performance of a 12-channel flexible head coil (HFC12) with commercial 16-channel (HRC16) and 24-channel (HRC24) rigid coils. Methods: The phantom study was performed on a 1.5 T MR scanner with HFC12, HRC16, and HRC24. The SNR and noise correlation matrix of T1WI, T2WI, and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) were measured. The SNR profiles were created according to the SNR. In addition, 1/g-factors were calculated in different acceleration directions. In the in vivo study, T1WI, T2WI, and DWI were performed in one healthy volunteer with three different coils. The SNR and noise correlation matrix were measured. Results: In the phantom study and in vivo study, the SNR of HFC12 in the transverse, sagittal, and coronal planes was the highest, followed by HRC24, and that of HRC16 was the lowest. The SNR profiles showed that the SNR at the edge of HFC12 was the highest. The mean value of the noise correlation matrix of HFC12 was the highest. The 1/g-factor results showed that HFC12 obtained the best acceleration ability in the head--foot acceleration direction when the reduction factor was set to two. The SNR of HFC12 in most cortices was significantly higher than that of HRC16 and HRC24, except in the occipital cortex. The SNR of HRC24 in the occipital cortex was higher than that of HFC12. Conclusion: The SNR of HFC12 in T1WI, T2WI, and DWI was better than that of the HRC24 and HFC16. The SNR of HFC12 in the cortex was significantly higher than that of the commercial rigid head coil, except in the occipital cortex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure ZnO and Ce-doped ZnO nanofibers were synthesized via electrospinning-calcination technique. The morphology, composition, structure, humidity sensing and photoelectric properties were characterized. The field-effect curves showed that a single pure ZnO nanofiber is an n-type semiconductor and an individual Ce-ZnO nanofiber is a p-type semiconductor. The Ce doping and humidity have strong influence on the UV sensing properties of ZnO-based nanofibers. In the dark, the responses [(IVarious RH-I43% RH)/I43% RH] of pure ZnO increased gradually with the increase of humidity, while the responses of Ce-doped ZnO nanofibers decreased. When exposed to UV radiation, the response of pure ZnO nanofibers decreased with increasing humidity, while that of Ce-doped ZnO increased. And the highest responses are around 88.44 and 683.67 at 97% humidity for pure ZnO and Ce-ZnO nanofibers under UV irradiation. In addition, the UV response of Ce-ZnO with good stability and repeatability increases by two orders of magnitude than that of pure ZnO. The sensing mechanism relevant to oxygen and water-related conduction was discussed briefly. These results exhibit that the application prospects of p-type Ce-ZnO nanofibers are promising in the field of photoelectric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been no studies as to whether parthanatos, a poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1)-dependent and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF)-mediated caspase-independent programmed cell death, is present in pulmonary hypertension (PH). Basic studies have, however, been conducted on several of the key molecules in parthanatos, such as PARP-1, AIF, and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF). For this study, we collected blood samples from 88 incident male patients with PH and 50 healthy controls at the Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital. We measured the key factors of parthanatos (PARP-1, PAR, AIF, and MIF) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and performed a logistic regression, Cox proportional hazards analysis, and Kaplan–Meier test to assess the prognostic value of the key molecules in diagnosing and predicting survival. The patients who ultimately died had a significantly poorer clinical status during the study than those who survived. The PARP-1, PAR, AIF, and MIF levels were significantly higher in the patients than in the controls (all p <.0001), and the PARP-1, PAR, and AIF levels were higher in the nonsurvivors than in the survivors (all p <.0001). PARP-1 and AIF levels served as independent predictors of disease onset and mortality in these patients (all p <.005). Patients with PARP-1 levels <11.24 ng/mL or AIF levels <1.459 pg/mL had significantly better survival than those with higher PARP-1 or AIF levels (p <.0001). Circulating levels of PARP-1 and AIF were independent predictors for PH onset and mortality, which indicated that parthanatos might be associated with the pathogenesis of PH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we investigated the effect of escitalopram pretreatment on protein kinase A (PKA)-induced tau hyperphosphorylation and spatial memory deficits in rats using western blot and behavioral tests, respectively. We demonstrated that escitalopram effectively ameliorated tau hyperphosphorylation and the spatial memory deficits induced by PKA activation. We measured the total and activity-dependent Ser9-phosphorylated levels of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β in hippocampal extracts. No significant change in the total level of GSK-3β was observed between the different groups. However, compared with forskolin injection alone, pretreatment with escitalopram increased the level of Ser9-phosphorylated GSK-3β. We also demonstrated that escitalopram increased Akt phosphorylation at Ser473 (the active form of Akt). Furthermore, we identified other important kinases and phosphatases, such as protein phosphatase 2A, extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2, and MAP kinase kinase-1/2, that have previously been reported to play a crucial role in tau phosphorylation; however, we did not detect any significant change in the activation of these kinases or phosphatases in our study. We unexpectedly demonstrated that forskolin caused anxiety-like behavior in rats, and pretreatment with escitalopram did not significantly ameliorate the anxiety-like behavior induced by forskolin. These data provide the first evidence that escitalopram ameliorates forskolin-induced tau hyperphosphorylation and spatial memory impairment in rats; these effects do not occur via the anti-anxiety activity of escitalopram but may involve the Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urban South has been significantly transformed over the last few decades by a rapid increase in racial and ethnic diversity. This research investigates the impacts that increased diversity has had on the levels of residential segregation among racial and/or ethnic groups across the urban core of Atlanta, Georgia from 1990 to 2010. Empirical analysis entailed the measurement of two dimensions of segregation evident among Non-Hispanic whites, African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asians. Measures of residential segregation were decomposed in order to investigate the relative impacts of region-wide compositional change and intra-urban redistributive change on segregation among the four groups. During the two decades, Atlanta exhibited very modest forms of integration, yet in certain contexts the region actually became more segregated residentially. Results suggest that Non-Hispanic whites, Asians, and Hispanics exhibited some degree of "ethnic (or racial) self-selectivity" that functioned to concentrate these groups residentially, although these forces were partially offset by other forces operating at both the neighborhood and metropolitan scales. The evidence further suggests that the residential experiences among minorities were strongly impacted by the redistributive behavior of whites. Findings lead to the conclusion that Atlanta remains a highly segregated, albeit increasingly diverse, urban region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An impulse oscillometry system (IOS) assesses pulmonary resistance and reactance. The present study investigated which IOS measurement is correlated with airflow obstruction, airway conductance and lung volume in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A total of 180 patients with COPD were selected and 95 agreed to follow-up 1 year after the initial tests. IOS measurements [R5, R20, X5 and resonant frequency (Fres)], body plethysmography [forced end-expiratory flow (FEF)75, total lung capacity, residual volume (RV) and total inspiratory resistance (Rtot)] and spirometry [forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1)] were performed. Pearson's or Spearman's correlation tests were used to determine the correlation between the IOS and other measurements. R5, X5 and Fres were all significantly associated (P<0.05) with FEV1, FEF75, RV and Rtot. However, R20 was not correlated with these measurements except from FEF75 and Rtot (r values were all <0.25). The strongest associations were observed with FEV1 and the reactance measurements X5 (r=0.635), Fres (r=-0.721) and R5 (r=-0.496); FEF75 with X5 (r=0.505), Fres (r=-0.629) and R5 (r=-0.468); RV with X5 (r=-0.485), Fres (r=0.570) and R5 (r=0.326); and Rtot with X5 (r=-0.691), Fres (r=0.632) and R5 (r=0.570). There was a significant increase in FEV1 and X5 after one year as compared with the RV. The other measurements did not change over the year. The changes in X5, Fres and R5 were significantly correlated with the changes in FEV1 and the correlation coefficients were 0.355, -0.364 and -0.381, respectively. Similarly, the changes in X5, Fres and R5 were significantly correlated with the changes in RV and the correlation coefficients were -0.264, 0.287 and 0.318, respectively. In the COPD patients, the IOS reactance measurements were more closely correlated with other pulmonary function measurements rather than with resistance measurements. The IOS reactance measurements, particularly X5, appear to indicate changes in pulmonary compliance caused by airflow obstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image templatematching refers to the technique of locating a given reference image over a source image such that they are the most similar. It is a fundamental mission in the field of visual target recognition. In general, there are two critical aspects of a template matching scheme. One is similarity measurement and the other is best-match location search. In this work, we choose the wellknown normalized cross correlation model as a similarity criterion. The searching procedure for the best-match location is carried out through an internal-feedback artificial bee colony (IF-ABC) algorithm. IF-ABC algorithm is highlighted by its effort to fight against premature convergence. This purpose is achieved through discarding the conventional roulette selection procedure in the ABC algorithm so as to provide each employed bee an equal chance to be followed by the onlooker bees in the local search phase. Besides that, we also suggest efficiently utilizing the internal convergence states as feedback guidance for searching intensity in the subsequent cycles of iteration. We have investigated four ideal template matching cases as well as four actual cases using different searching algorithms. Our simulation results showthat the IF-ABCalgorithmismore effective and robust for this templatematching mission than the conventional ABC and two state-of-the-art modified ABC algorithms do. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) have been of great interest to military organizations throughout the world due to their outstanding capabilities to operate in dangerous or hazardous environments. UCAV path planning aims to obtain an optimal flight route with the threats and constraints in the combat field well considered. In this work, a novel artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm improved by a balance-evolution strategy (BES) is applied in this optimization scheme. In this new algorithm, convergence information during the iteration is fully utilized to manipulate the exploration/exploitation accuracy and to pursue a balance between local exploitation and global exploration capabilities. Simulation results confirm that BE-ABC algorithm is more competent for the UCAV path planning scheme than the conventional ABC algorithm and two other state-of-the-art modified ABC algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this paper, we construct a macrodynamic model that expresses the growth and development process in a less developed economy. The model introduces price, wage and government policy into an otherwise Harrodian economy. We find that these components can be regarded as stabilization mechanisms to overcome the destabilization mechanism in the original Harrod model and therefore the instability puzzles can be resolved. Using the evidence from China, we will show that the model can explore some important phenomenon with regard to growth and development in a less developed economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A superhydrophobic aluminum sheet is fabricated via a hot water immersing process and subsequently surface modification with heptadecafluorodecyltrimethoxy-silane (HTMS). As revealed by the scan electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR) results, a rough pseudoboehmite film is formed on the aluminum sheet, and HTMS molecules are grafted on the film surface successfully. These two factors make the treated aluminum sheet present superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle larger than 160° and sliding angle less than 5°, and possess a self-cleaning property. Furthermore, the flexible superhydrophobic aluminum sheet could be pasted to a cylinder surface without destroying its superhydrophobicity. At the end, the effect of hot water treatment time on superhydrophobicity is investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of Resovist-labeled bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) was evaluated in vivo following their cerebral transplantation in a model of Parkinson's disease (PD) in rats using MRI, and the MRI findings were further compared with the behavior and histopathological manifestations of these rats. Forty PD rats were randomly assigned into five groups according to the cell doses injected into the rat brain site: control group (normal saline injection) and groups injected with 1 × 10, 1.5 × 10, 2 × 10, and 2.5 × 10 BMSCs. Gradient echo T2-weighted images were obtained immediately after cell transplantation and repeatedly taken 1, 4, 8, and 12 week(s) after cell transplantation. The rotational behavior of the animals was observed before and 1, 4, and 8 week(s) after transplantation. The rats were killed after the last MRI scanning, the brain tissues were analyzed by histopathology techniques, and RNAs were extracted for the expression analysis of selected genes using RT-PCR. One week following cell transplantation, all injected sites showed well-defined hypointense areas on MR images, with the most significant effect observed in rats injected with 2 × 10 BMSCs. These MR findings in PD rats lasted up to 12 weeks. The effectiveness of BMSC transplantation revealed by MRI was well confirmed by the behavioral and histopathological observations as well as indirectly supported by gene expression analyses. With the use of SPIO labeling, MRI techniques provided a dynamic evaluation of the spatial and temporal changes following cell transplantation and allowed the association analysis among the imaging, functions, and gene expression analysis in rats. These data also suggest the therapeutic potential of transplanted BMSCs. It is reasonable to speculate that the use of MRI in in vivo evaluation of the effect and fate of transplanted cells in various disease models will be beneficial to developing new strategies of cell-based gene therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

中国收入分配的不平等在很大程度上表现为功能性收入分配的不平等，即随着经 济的发展,工资性收入占国民收入的比例越来越小，而现阶段中国二元经济结构下的 无限劳动力供给则是其主要原因。在一个具有凯恩斯主义特征的非均衡动态模型框架 下，我们的分析表明，劳动力的无限供给，不仅使工资无法对劳动力市场的供求状况 进行反应，而且使劳动生产率和物价变化对工资的影响也不敏感。这意味着，当存在 着劳动生产率的提高或由经济增长所带动的物价上涨时，工资的提高不够显著，从而 由经济增长或劳动生产率的提高所带来的利益大部分转化为利润而非工资。基于此， 要彻底扭转中国收入分配恶化趋势，根本途径仍然是保持经济的高速增长，加快工业 化和城市化进程，从而使农村剩余劳动力能够尽快被吸收。关键词: 功能性收入 二元经济 劳动力供给 China's unequal income distribution is to a large extent expressed in unequal functional income distribution, that is, as China's economy develops, the share of wage income in national income falls. The unlimited supply of labor under China's current dual economic structure is the major reason for this. In a disequilibrium dynamic model framework with Keynesian features, empirical analysis shows that the unlimited supply of labor not only prevents wages from responding to supply and demand situation in the labor market, but also makes them insensitive to labor productivity and price changes. This suggests that when there is a rise in labor productivity or prices following economic growth, the rise in wages may not be sufficiently marked. The benefits derived from economic growth or labor productivity increases have been, to a very large extent, converted into profits and not wages. Therefore, if we are to reverse China's worsening income distribution, our fundamental path should remain the maintenance of high-speed growth and the acceleration of urbanization and industrialization so that surplus rural labor can be absorbed as soon as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Routing in delay tolerant mobile sensor networks (DTMSNs) is challenging due to the networks' intermittent connectivity. Most existing routing protocols for DTMSNs use simplistic random mobility models for algorithm design and performance evaluation. In the real world, however, due to the unique characteristics of human mobility, currently existing random mobility models may not work well in environments where mobile sensor units are carried (such as DTMSNs). Taking a person's social activities into consideration, in this paper, we seek to improve DTMSN routing in terms of social structure and propose an agenda based routing protocol (ARP). In ARP, humans are classified based on their agendas and data transmission is made according to sensor nodes' transmission rankings. The effectiveness of ARP is demonstrated through comprehensive simulation studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The U. S. airline industry suffered tremendously in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. A number of factors, such as the brief shutdown of service, the fear of flying among the American public, and the inconvenience caused by the enhanced security check at airports, combined to aggravate an already troubled market. Using the Domestic Airline Fares Consumer Report data released by the U.S. Department of Transportation, this article analyzes the post-9/11 air travel activities at Boston Logan Airport. The major findings from this study include: (1.) Logan airport suffered heavily from the 9/11 terrorist attacks in passenger enplanements. It took more than two years for the passenger volume to restore to the pre-9/11 level. (2.) The drop in passenger enplanements in the aftermath of 9/11 was not accompanied by service cuts from the airlines. (3.) The link between air fares and flight distance was weak in the city-pair markets from Boston. The air fare landscape for travel from Boston is not uniform and air travel costs vary significantly among destinations. (4.) Competition at Boston Logan Airport fluctuated in the post-9/11 years. With the increasing presence of JetBlue Airways, the overall competition level increased with more intense competition concentrated in less densely traveled markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the relationship between productivity and unemployment. The researchers applied the maximum likelihood (ML) and structural vector autoregression (VAR) methods in order to quantify the short-run and long-run relations between productivity and unemployment. They found that growth in technology affects unemployment positively in the short-run, but negatively in the long-run.

Highly oriented 0.55Pb(Sc1/2Ta1/2)O3-0.45PbTiO3 (PSTT) thin films were prepared by RF magnetron sputtering. The x-ray diffraction patterns show that the films were highly (220) preferred orientation. The piezoresponse force microscopy observations show that both in-plane and out-of-plane polarization exist in the same areas of the film. This films possess dielectric constant εr = 570 with loss tg δ = 0.03 at 1 kHz. Ferroelectric hysteresis loop of this film showed the remanent polarization 2Pr and the coercive field 2Ec were 52 μC/cm2, 172 kV/cm, respectively. The leakage currents of the films at ± 200 kV/cm were in the order of 10-7A/cm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A non-linear macrodynamic model is presented here to study possible stabilization policies in a financially unstable economy. Three policy rules will be considered, namely the interest rate rule (also called Taylor rule), the money supply rule and the fiscal policy rule. It will be shown that the interest rate rule can be used to stabilize a financially unstable economy on a ‘desired’ growth path. However, when the economy falls into a ‘liquidity trap’, the interest rate rule is ineffective, and therefore the fiscal policy rule should be employed. We also find a rule of money supply that can deal with the problem of government debt while the rest of the economy can still be stabilized on the ‘desired’ growth path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By contrasting endogenous growth models with facts, one is frequently confronted with the prediction that levels of economic variables, such as R&D expenditures, imply lasting effects on the growth rate of an economy. As stylized facts show, the research intensity in most advanced countries has dramatically increased, mostly more than the GDP. Yet, the growth rates have roughly remained constant or even declined. In this paper we modify the Romer endogenous growth model and test our variant of the model using time series data. We estimate the market version both for the US and Germany for the time period January 1962 to April 1996. Our results demonstrate that the model is compatible with the time series for aggregate data in those countries. All parameters fall into a reasonable range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents and estimates an endogenous growth model with public capital and government borrowing. Government behavior (tax rates, spending and borrowing) does not follow optimizing rules but is restricted by two fiscal regimes (rules). In the strict fiscal regime government borrowing is used for public investment only. In the less strict regime it can also be used for public investment and to a certain degree for the debt service. The growth rate differs in our model variants according to which rule is adopted. Moreover, the growth maximizing income tax rate is different from zero. For the two relevant fiscal regimes, which correspond roughly to the cases of the U.S. and Germany, the model is estimated by employing time series data from 1960.4 to 1992.1 and 1966.1 to 1995.1 respectively. The results suggest an explanation for the different time paths of economic variables in the American and German economies in the post-war period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A non-linear growth model is presented that provides a solution to Harrod's knife-edge problem within the Keynesian multiplier–accelerator framework. The model introduces product innovation into a conventional investment function. Statistical analysis demonstrates that such an investment function matches the data better than the conventional one. Dynamic analysis shows that irregular growth cycles could occur with excess capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines alternative monetary policy rules using a Keynesian based macroeconometric framework. Targeting of monetary aggregates; Targeting of interest rates; Concept of Taylor rule; Analysis of Phillips curves for the wage and price dynamics; Simulations of parameter systems for the monetary policy rules.

Estimates the parameters of stochastic growth with asset market restrictions. Introduction of the log-linearization of the baseline real business cycle (RBC) model; Closed-form solutions for the financial variables; Employment of the risk-free interest rate and the Shape-ratio; Reliability of RBC model on giving correct predictions on asset market pricing.

Although most cognitive impairments induced by prolonged alcohol consumption tend to improve within the initial months of abstinence, there is evidence suggesting certain cognitive deficits may persist. This study aimed to investigate the impact of aerobic exercise on learning and memory in alcohol use disorder (AUD) mice following a period of abstinence from alcohol. We also sought to assess the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters in the hippocampus. To this end, we established an AUD mouse model through a two‐bottle choice (sucrose fading mode and normal mode) and chronic intermittent alcohol vapor (combined with intraperitoneal injection) and randomly allocated mice into exercise groups to undergo treadmill training. Learning and memory abilities were assessed through the Morris water maze test and spontaneous activity was evaluated using the open field test. The levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor in the hippocampus were quantified using enzyme‐linked immunoassay (ELISA) kits. The findings reveal that after cessation of alcohol consumption, learning and memory abilities in AUD mice did not completely return to normal levels. The observed enhancement of cognitive functions in AUD mice through aerobic exercise may be attributed to restoring levels of monoamine neurotransmitters in the hippocampus, boosting brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations, and facilitating an increase in hippocampal mass. These results offer empirical evidence to support aerobic exercise as a viable therapeutic strategy to alleviate cognitive deficits associated with AUD.

Abstract Objective To investigate the changes in amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and degree centrality (DC) values before and after acupuncture in young women with non-menstrual migraine without aura (MWoA) through rest blood-oxygen-level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD fMRI). Methods Patients with non-menstrual MWoA (Group 1, n = 50) and healthy controls (Group 2, n = 50) were recruited. fMRI was performed in Group 1 at 2 time points: before acupuncture (time point 1, TP1); and after the end of all acupuncture sessions (time point 2, TP2), and performed in Group 2 as a one-time scan. Patients in Group 1 were assessed with the Migraine Disability Assessment Questionnaire (MIDAS) and the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) at TP1 and TP2 after fMRI was performed. The ALFF and DC values were compared within Group 1 at two time points and between Group 1 and Group2. The correlation between ALFF and DC values with the statistical differences and the clinical scales scores were analyzed. Results Brain activities increased in the left fusiform gyrus and right angular gyrus, left middle occipital gyrus, and bilateral prefrontal cortex and decreased in left inferior parietal lobule in Group 1, which had different ALFF values compared with Group 2 at TP1. The bilateral fusiform gyrus, bilateral inferior temporal gyrus and right middle temporal gyrus increased and right angular gyrus, right superior marginal gyrus, right inferior parietal lobule, right middle occipital gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus, right anterior central gyrus, and right supplementary motor area decreased in activity in Group 1 had different DC values compared with Group 2 at TP1. ALFF and DC values of right inferior temporal gyrus, right fusiform gyrus and right middle temporal gyrus were decreased in Group1 at TP1 compared with TP2. ALFF values in the left middle occipital area were positively correlated with the pain degree at TP1 in Group1 (correlation coefficient r, r = 0.827, r = 0.343; P

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of an oral sequential triple combination therapy with selexipag after dual combination therapy with endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) and phosphodiesterase‐5 inhibitor (PDE5I)/riociguat in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients. A total of 192 PAH patients from 10 centers had received oral sequential selexipag therapy after being on dual‐combination therapy with ERA and PDE5i/riociguat for a minimum of 3 months. Clinical data were collected at baseline and after 6 months of treatment. The study analyzed the event‐free survival at 6 months and all‐cause death over 2 years. At baseline, the distribution of patients among the risk groups was as follows: 22 in the low‐risk group, 35 in the intermediate‐low‐risk group, 91 in the intermediate‐high‐risk group, and 44 in the high‐risk group. After 6 months of treatment, the oral sequential triple combination therapy resulted in reduced NT‐proBNP levels (media from 1604 to 678 pg/mL), a decline in the percentage of WHO‐FC III/IV (from 79.2% to 60.4%), an increased in the 6MWD (from 325 ± 147 to 378 ± 143 m) and a rise in the percentage of patients with three low‐risk criteria (from 5.7% to 13.5%). Among the low‐risk group, there was an improvement in the right heart remodeling, marked by a decrease in right atrium area and eccentricity index. The intermediate‐low‐risk group exhibited significant enhancements in WHO‐FC and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion. For those in the intermediate‐high and high‐risk groups, there were marked improvements in activity tolerance, as reflected by WHO‐FC and 6MWD. The event‐free survival rate at 6 months stood at 88%. Over the long‐term follow‐up, the survival rates at 1 and 2 years were 86.5% and 86.0%, respectively. In conclusion, the oral sequential triple combination therapy enhanced both exercise capacity and cardiac remodeling across PAH patients of different risk stratifications.