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This study explores the extent to which phraseological complexity measures can predict second-language (L2) writing quality of low- and intermediate-level learners, especially in comparison with the more traditional syntactic and lexical complexity measures. To measure phraseological complexity, we evaluated phraseological diversity and phraseological sophistication by focusing on two commonly-used phraseological units (adjective-noun and verb-direct-object combinations). Our findings show that phraseological, syntactic, and lexical complexity measures can respectively explain 36.0, 34.4, and 56.5% of variance in writing scores. Although lexical complexity measures are responsible for more variance in writing scores, all three complexity dimensions contribute to the predictive power of writing scores, as evinced by the combined model explaining 63.4% of variance. Most phraseological complexity measures were loaded onto individual factors by the factor analysis, suggesting that phraseological complexity is an independent dimension of L2 complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the central configurations of the 1 + N -body problem, where N bodies are infinitesimal and the remaining one body is dominant. For regular polygon central configurations, we prove that the masses of all the infinitesimal bodies are equal when N is odd and the masses of the alternate infinitesimal bodies must be equal when N is even. Moreover, in the case of N being even, we present the relationship of the mass parameters between two consecutive infinitesimal bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is devoted to the intelligent optimization issue by means of PEO-FOCNN, i.e., the fractional-order convolutional neural networks (FOCNNs) with population extremal optimization (PEO). The Caputo fractional-order gradient method (CFOGM) is adopted to improve the dynamic updating effectiveness of the biases and weights for convolutional neural networks (CNN). Moreover, considering the significance of the initial biases and weights and their updating mechanisms to the optimization performance of FOCNN, the PEO algorithm is used to seek an optimal selection from lots of the initial biases and weights. The optimization effect of PEO method for FOCNN is demonstrated by the training and testing accuracies of PEO-FOCNN compared with standard FOCNN. And, the superiority of the proposed PEO-FOCNN to FOCNN based on some other popular optimization algorithms, such as the genetic algorithm-based FOCNN (GA-FOCNN), differential evolution-based FOCNN (DE-FOCNN) and particle swarm optimization-based FOCNN (PSO-FOCNN), is verified by the experiments on the MNIST dataset in terms of three types of statistical tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines to what extent the linguistic features in argumentative and narrative essays of L2 learners are influenced by the communicative functions of genres and learners' genre experience. The genres of texts in textbooks were used as a rough estimation of students' genre exposure and 11 linguistic complexity measures were analyzed to check the linguistic differences between genres. The results indicated that linguistic features in L2 writing were not solely decided by the communicative function of genres. Furthermore, due to the effects of genre input, learners' genre knowledge may change, which could influence their language use in writing. This study first attempts to explore genre effects from a perspective of learners and its findings have important implications for future research, language instruction and assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal generation of initial connection weight parameters and dynamic updating strategies of connection weights are critical for adjusting the performance of back-propagation (BP) neural networks. This paper presents an adaptive fractional-order BP neural network abbreviated as PEO-FOBP for handwritten digit recognition problems by combining a competitive evolutionary algorithm called population extremal optimization and a fractional-order gradient descent learning mechanism. Population extremal optimization is introduced to optimize a large number of initial connection weight parameters and fractional-order gradient descent learning mechanism is designed to update these connection weight parameters adaptively during the evolutionary process of fractional-order BP neural network. The extensive experimental results for a well-known MNIST handwritten digits dataset have demonstrated that the proposed PEO-FOBP outperforms the original fractional-order BP neural network and the traditional integer-order BP neural network in terms of training and testing accuracies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metabolic switch hypothesis refers to an ability to adjust metabolic rate. It plays a key role in animals adapted to periods of food shortage, enabling them to "switch down" their resting metabolic rate and to survive and maintain their weight indefinitely on limited rations. The present study investigates the energy strategies of a small mammal in response to food shortages as a function of food restriction, metabolic rate and ambient temperature. We subjected tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri) to food restriction and measured body mass, survival rate, resting metabolic rate, non-shivering thermogenesis and cytochrome c oxidase activity of brown adipose tissue. Cold-exposed animals restricted to 80% of ad libitum food intake had significantly increased resting metabolic rate and non-shivering thermogenesis and decreased body mass and survival rates compared with those kept as control group on the same ood restriction level. Animals classified as having a high resting metabolic rate consumed 30.69% more food than those classified as having a low resting metabolic rate, but showed no differences in body mass or survival when restricted to 80% of ad libitum food intake. These results indicate that tree shrews, known for their relatively high metabolic rates, are sensitive to periods of food restriction, which supports the metabolic switch hypothesis. Our findings are also consistent with the prediction that small mammals with food hoarding behaviors, like tree shrews, may have a lower tolerance for food shortages than non-hoarding species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study was undertaken to assess the effect of climate variability on diarrhoeal disease burden among children under 5 years of age living in Kathmandu, Nepal. The researchers sought to predict future risk of childhood diarrhoea under different climate change scenarios to advance the evidence base available to public health decision-makers, and the Nepalese infection control division, in planning for climate impacts.Methods: A time series study was conducted using the monthly case count of diarrhoeal disease (2003-2013) among children under 5 years of age living in Kathmandu, Nepal. A quasi Poisson generalised linear equation with distributed lag linear model was fitted to estimate the lagged effect of monthly maximum temperature and rainfall on childhood diarrhoea. The environmental framework of comparative risk assessment was used to assess the environmental burden of diarrhoea within this population.Results: A total of 219,774 cases of diarrhoeal disease were recorded during the study period with a median value of 1286 cases per month. The results of a regression model revealed that the monthly count of diarrhoea cases increased by 8.1% (RR: 1.081; 95% CI: 1.02-1.14) per 1 °C increase in maximum temperature above the monthly average recorded within that month. Similarly, rainfall was found to have significant effect on the monthly diarrhoea count, with a 0.9% (RR; 1.009; 95% CI: 1.004-1.015) increase in cases for every 10 mm increase in rainfall above the monthly cumulative value recorded within that month. It was estimated that 7.5% (95% CI: 2.2%-12.5%) of the current burden of diarrhoea among children under 5 years of age could be attributed to climatic factors (maximum temperature), and projected that 1357 (UI: 410-2274) additional cases of childhood diarrhoea could be climate attributable by the year 2050 under low-risk scenario (0.9 °C increase in maximum temperature).Conclusion: It is estimated that there exists a significant association (p < 0.05) between childhood diarrhoea and an increase in maximum temperature and rainfall in Kathmandu, Nepal. The findings of this study may inform the conceptualization and design of early warning systems for the prediction and control of childhood diarrhoea, based upon the observed pattern of climate change in Kathmandu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Local electrochemical properties of fusion boundary were studied by combining capillary and photolithographic mask technique. • Martensite in fusion boundary area shows passivation behavior and better corrosion resistance in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. • A controversy was demonstrated between the nobility prediction through SKPFM test and local electrochemical measurements. The 309 L-SA508 fusion boundary (FB) in a SA508−309 L/308 L overlay cladding weldment was characterized by multi-analytical approaches. Local electrochemical properties around the FB region were investigated in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution by utilizing a self-developed microcell setup combining lithography and capillary techniques. The corrosion resistances follow the order: P1 (little austenite + martensite)>P2 (martensite + little coarse ferrite)>P3 (martensite + numerous coarse ferrite)>P4 (coarse ferrite). A better corrosion resistance of P1 is attributed to its higher Cr, Ni content and larger proportion of Σ3 boundaries. The controversy between results of scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy and local electrochemical measurements was demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has long been a consensus that translation competence is a multi-componential construct, encompassing linguistic, strategic, and extra-linguistic competence. In this digitalized age, when translators are required to work with complex discourses (e.g., multimodal discourses), the cultivation of translation competence also calls for new insights apart from the traditional face-to-face teaching method. To that end, this study applies the blended learning mode to a translation course so as to enhance students' translation competence. The application of this blended learning mode is detailed in this article. A quasi-experiment is also carried out to assess the influence of this blended course on the development of participants' translation competence. Participants' perceptions of this blended learning mode are also examined. Our results suggest that this blended course improves participants' translation competence, including their knowledge competence, technological competence, and professional competence. On the whole, participants are satisfied with this learning mode, particularly in terms of the appropriateness, sustainability, and multimodality of the blended course. Plain Language Summary: Study of the effect of blended learning on students' translation competence by comparing test scores and students' acceptance in test and control groups This study applies the blended learning mode to a translation course so as to enhance students' translation competence. The application of this blended learning mode is detailed in this article. A quasi-experiment is also carried out to assess the influence of this blended course on the development of participants' translation competence. Participants' perceptions of this blended learning mode are also examined. Our results suggest that this blended course improves participants' translation competence, including their knowledge competence, technological competence, and professional competence. On the whole, participants are satisfied with this learning mode, particularly in terms of the appropriateness, sustainability, and multimodality of the blended course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The crystallinity of non-fullerene acceptors as the third component has an important role on nanomorphology optimization and charge transfer dynamics of ternary organic solar cells (OSCs). Herein, efficient ternary OSCs were fabricated by incorporating two typical non-fullerene acceptors with different crystallinity, (Z)-5-{[5-(15-{5-[(Z)-(3-Ethyl-4-oxo-2-thioxo-1,3-thiazolidin-5-ylidene)methyl]-8-thia-7.9-diazabicyclo [4.3.0] nona-1 (9),2,4,6-tetraen-2-yl}-9,9,18,18-tetrakis (2-ethylhexyl)-5.14-dithiapentacyclo [10.6.0.03,10.04,8.013,17]octadeca-1(12),2,4(8),6,10,13 (17),15-heptaen-6-yl)-8-thia-7.9-diazabicyclo [4.3.0]nona-1 (9),2,4,6-tetraen-2-yl]methylidene}-3-ethyl-2-thioxo-1,3-thiazolidin-4-one (EH-IDTBR) or (5Z, 5′Z)-5,5'-((7,7'-(4,4,9,9-tetraoctyl-4,9-dihydro-s-indaceno [1,2-b:5,6-b']dithiophene-2,7-diyl)bis (benzo [c][1,2,5]thiadiazole7,4diyl)) bis(methanylylidene))bis (3-ethyl-2-thioxothiazolidin-4-one) (O-IDTBR), into the host donor/acceptor active layers comprising of poly (3-hexythiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methylester (PC 71 BM). As a result, the 21.5% and 22.7% increase of the power conversion efficiency (PCE) for the two ternary systems were achieved, respectively, which was attributed to the enhanced light harvesting capability, optimized bulk-heterojunction morphology and the formation of cascade energy level alignments that could introduce an additional pathway for efficient charge transfer. Although both the short-circuit current density (Jsc) and fill factor (FF) values were increased significantly by regulating the weight ratios of non-fullerene acceptors of two ternary systems, the O-IDTBR-based ternary OSCs showed the higher Jsc while P3HT:EH-IDTBR:PC 71 BM system exhibited the higher FF values. The main difference of improved photovoltaic performance in the two ternary systems could be associated with the different blend morphology and charge carrier mobilities. In addition, nanomorphology studies suggested that lamellar stacking coherence lengths of P3HT in face-on orientation for EH-IDTBR- and O-IDTBR-based systems can be increased from 18.48 nm to 20.94 nm and 21.67 nm respectively, resulting from the stronger crystallinity of O-IDTBR than that of EH-IDTBR, which was beneficial for charge transport in the vertical direction. These results indicate that selecting the appropriate crystalline non-fullerene acceptors may be an effective strategy to optimize nanomorphology to further achieve high efficiency ternary OSCs. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • The introduction of EH-IDTBR or O-IDTBR in ternary OSCs could enhance the capability of light harvesting and provide three possible pathways for charge transfer. • Lamellar stacking coherence lengths of P3HT in face-on orientation were increased a higher degree by the addition of O-IDTBR relative to EH-IDTBR, which facilitated charge transport in the vertical direction. • The main difference of improved efficiency in two ternary systems was that O-IDTBR-based ternary OSCs manifested the higher Jsc and the lower FF values with respect to the P3HT:EH-IDTBR:PC 71 BM devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heatwaves can be a common occurrence in Australia, and the public health impacts can be severe. Heat warnings and interventions are being adopted widely to reduce the preventable health impacts. This study examines the effects of heatwaves on morbidity and mortality in different climatic regions in the state of South Australia, to inform the targeting of heat warnings according to regional needs. Heatwaves were defined using the excess heat factor (EHF), an index based on mean daily temperature indices that quantifies heatwave severity relative to the local climate. In all regions, there were increases in morbidity (daily rates of ambulance call-outs and heat-related emergency presentations and hospital admissions) on heatwave days compared to non-heatwave days, which increased with heatwave severity. This study demonstrates that a consistent measure for heatwave severity, based on EHF, can be used to underpin public health warnings for climatically diverse areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human contact with soil may be important for building and maintaining normal healthy immune defence mechanisms, however this idea remains untested at the population-level. In this continent-wide, cross-sectional study we examine the possible public health benefit of ambient exposures to soil of high cation exchange capacity (CEC), a surrogate for potential immunomodulatory soil microbial diversity. We compare distributions of normalized mean 2011/12–2012/13 age-standardized public hospital admission rates (cumulative incidence) for infectious and parasitic diseases across regional Australia (representing an average of 29,516 patients/year in 228 local government areas), within tertiles of socioeconomic status and soil exposure. To test the significance of soil CEC, we use probabilistic individual-level environmental exposure data (with or without soil), and group-level variables, in robust non-parametric multilevel modelling to predict disease rates in unseen groups. Our results show that in socioeconomically-deprived areas with high CEC soils, rates of infectious and parasitic disease are significantly lower than areas with low CEC soils. Also, health inequality (relative risk) due to socioeconomic status is significantly lower in areas with high CEC soils compared to low CEC soils (Δ relative risk = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.13, 0.82). Including soil exposure when modelling rates of infectious and parasitic disease significantly improves prediction performance, explaining an additional 7.5% (Δ r 2  = 0.075; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.10) of variation in disease risk, in local government areas that were not used for model building. Our findings suggest that exposure to high CEC soils (typically high soil biodiversity) associates with reduced risk of infectious and parasitic diseases, particularly in lower socioeconomic areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binary and ternary organic nanoparticles (NPs) comprising 7,7-(4,4-bis(2-Ethylhexyl)-4H-silolo [3,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-2,6-diyl)bis (6-fluoro-4-(5′-hexyl-[2,2′-bithiophen]-5-yl)benzo-[c] [1,2,5]thiadiazole) (p-DTS(FBTTH 2 ) 2 ), poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) or/and [6,6]-phenyl-C 71 -butyric acid methyl ester (PC 71 BM) were prepared by precipitation method. The formation of the organic NPs is confirmed by the atomic force microscope (AFM). The absorption spectra show that the blended organic NPs display increased interchain interactions compared to the polymer blends dissolved in the solution. The processes of exciton separation and charge transfer in the organic NPs have been investigated using time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) spectroscopy and anisotropy measurements. The results demonstrate that the charge transfer efficiency is improved in the NPs in comparison with that in solution, due to the enhanced interchain interactions and intimate contact between the donor and acceptor materials in NPs. Due to Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between P3HT and p-DTS(FBTTH 2 ) 2 , the photodetectors with ternary NPs in the active layers exhibit improved on/off ratios and enhanced detectivity compared with the binary system, demonstrating the promising applications of organic NPs in the ecofriendly fabrication of organic optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Al on the oxidation behavior of Al x CrCuFeNi 2 (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6) high entropy alloys was investigated at 700 °C in water vapor. The oxidation kinetics of all the alloys followed parabolic behavior, with their oxidation rates decreasing with increasing Al concentration. Thick triplex oxide scales with discontinuous Al 2 O 3 formed on the Al 0.2 CrCuFeNi 2 alloy, while a continuous Al 2 O 3 layer and thinner spinel oxide scale grew on Al 0.4 CrCuFeNi 2 and Al 0.6 CrCuFeNi 2 alloys. The early formation of continuous Al 2 O 3 scale in the initial stage of oxidation contributes to the enhanced oxidation resistance of high Al content alloys. ● The steam oxidation kinetics of Co-free Al x CrCuFeNi 2 (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6) high entropy alloys decreased with Al concentration increased at 700 °C. ● Al content of Al 0.2 CrCuFeNi 2 (∼4 at% Al) HEA was found to be the boarder-line composition of internal and external Al 2 O 3 formation. ● The early establishment of a continuous Al 2 O 3 scale in initial oxidation contributed to the enhanced oxidation resistance of high Al content HEAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of kidney diseases from communicable and non-communicable causes is expected to increase globally — especially in low and middle-income countries — as a consequence of global warming. As this increase could lead to overburdening of health-care systems, action is crucial to minimize the negative impacts of climate change on kidney health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is one of the major vector-borne diseases in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific region, posing a threat to human health. In rural and suburban areas, traditional rice farming and intensive pig breeding provide an ideal environment for both mosquito development and the transmission of JEV among human beings. Combining surveillance data for mosquito vectors, human JE cases, and environmental conditions in Changsha, China, 2004–2009, generalized threshold models were constructed to project the mosquito and JE dynamics. Temperature and rainfall were found to be closely associated with mosquito density at 1, and 4 month lag, respectively. The two thresholds, maximum temperature of 22–23 °C for mosquito development and minimum temperature of 25–26 °C for JEV transmission, play key roles in the ecology of JEV. The model predicts that, in the upper regime, a 1 g/m 3 increase in absolute humidity would on average increase human cases by 68–84%. A shift in mosquito species composition in 2007 was observed, and possibly caused by a drought. Effective predictive models could be used in risk management to provide early warnings for potential JE transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Migrants generally have more favourable mortality outcomes than the Australian-born population. The aim of this study is to update knowledge and inform future research in this field by examining mortality from musculoskeletal conditions, asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, injuries and mental conditions between 1981 and 2007 among migrants in Australia. Methods. Average annual sex- and age-standardised mortality rates were calculated for each migrant group, period of death registration and cause of death. Results and Conclusions. Mortality rates decreased among most groups for asthma, cardiovascular disease and motor vehicle accidents, with rates diverging in the later time periods. The reverse was true for mental disorders, where Australian-born individuals experienced the greatest increase in mortality. Migrants generally displayed more favourable mortality outcomes than their Australian-born counterparts. Migrants from Southern Europe appeared to have the greatest advantage. However, some migrants appeared to be over-represented in the areas of diabetes, suicide and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Migrants generally have more favourable mortality outcomes than the Australian-born population. The aim of this study is to update knowledge and inform future research in this field by examining mortality from musculoskeletal conditions, asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, injuries and mental conditions between 1981 and 2007 among migrants in Australia. Methods. Average annual sex- and age-standardised mortality rates were calculated for each migrant group, period of death registration and cause of death. Results and Conclusions. Mortality rates decreased among most groups for asthma, cardiovascular disease and motor vehicle accidents, with rates diverging in the later time periods. The reverse was true for mental disorders, where Australian-born individuals experienced the greatest increase in mortality. Migrants generally displayed more favourable mortality outcomes than their Australian-born counterparts. Migrants from Southern Europe appeared to have the greatest advantage. However, some migrants appeared to be over-represented in the areas of diabetes, suicide and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the impact of heatwaves on worker׳s health and safety; to identify workers at higher risk of prevalent illnesses and injuries due to heatwaves; and to provide evidence for policy-makers and service providers. South Australian workers׳ compensation claims data for 2001–2010 were transformed into time series format, merged with meteorological data and analysed using generalized estimating equation (GEE) models. For total injury claims there was no significant difference detected between heatwave and non-heatwave periods. However, for outdoor industries, daily claims increased significantly by 6.2% during heatwaves. Over-represented in hot weather were male labourers and tradespersons aged ≥55 years, and those employed in ‘agriculture, forestry and fishing’ and ‘electricity, gas and water’. Occupational burns, wounds, lacerations, and amputations as well as heat illnesses were significantly associated with heatwaves. Similarly, moving objects, contact with chemicals, and injuries related to environmental factors increased significantly during heatwaves, especially among middle-aged and older male workers. With the predicted increase of extremely hot weather, there is a need for relevant adaptation and prevention measures at both practice and policy levels for vulnerable work groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the production period of shale gas, proppant particles and rock debris are produced together, which will seriously erode the elbows of gathering pipelines. In response to this problem, this paper takes the elbow of the gathering pipeline in the Changning Shale Gas Field as an example to test the erosion rate and material removal mechanism of the test piece at different angles of the elbow through experiments and compares the four erosion models with the experimental results. Through analysis, it is found that the best prediction model for quartz sand-carbon steel erosion is the Oka model. Based on the Oka model, FLUENT software was used to simulate and analyze the law of erosion of the elbow of the gas gathering pipeline under different gas flow velocities, gas gathering pressure, particle size, length of L1, and bending directions of the elbow. And a spiral pipeline structure is proposed to reduce the erosion rate of the elbow under the same working conditions. The results show that this structure can reduce erosion by 34%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The adverse effects of heat on workers' health and work productivity are well documented. However, the resultant economic consequences and productivity loss are less understood. This review aims to summarize the retrospective and potential future economic burden of workplace heat exposure in the context of climate change. Methods Literature was searched from database inception to October 2020 using Embase, PubMed, and Scopus. Articles were limited to original human studies investigating costs from occupational heat stress in English. Results Twenty studies met the criteria. Eighteen studies estimated costs from heat-induced labor productivity loss. Predicted global costs from lost worktime, in US$, were 280 billion in 1995, 311 billion in 2010 (≈0.5% of GDP), 2.5 trillion in 2030 (>1% of GDP) and up to 4.0% of GDP by 2100, with additional expenses after considering reduced work efficiency. Three studies estimated heat-related healthcare expenses from occupational injuries with averaged annual costs (US$) exceeding 1 million in Spain, 1 million in Guangzhou, China and 250,000 in Adelaide, Australia. Low- and middle-income countries and countries with warmer climates had greater losses as a proportion of GDP. Greater costs per worker were observed in outdoor industries, amongst males, and workers aged 25 to 44 years. Conclusions The estimated global economic burden of occupational heat stress is substantial. Climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies should be implemented to likely minimize future costs. Further research exploring the relationship between occupational heat stress and related expenses from lost productivity, decreased work efficiency and healthcare, and costs stratified by demographic factors, is warranted. Key messages The estimated retrospective and future economic burden from occupational heat stress is large. Responding to climate change is crucial to minimize this burden. Analyzing heat-attributable occupational costs may guide the development of workplace heat management policies and practices as part of global warming strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schematic of optical-induced electron variation in C/P co-doped 2D AlN. [Display omitted] • Enhanced covalent bonds and structural stability are gained in C and P doped 2D AlN. • Band gap value of 2D AlN is greatly reduced by the introduction of C and P atoms. • C and P co-doped 2D AlN has enhanced optical response and optical isotropy. Doping various elements is able to change the structural and electronic properties of two-dimensional aluminum nitride (2D AlN), hence leading to different optical properties. By Density functional theory (DFT) calculation, broken 2D structure and 2p z electron conjugative effects to form intensive covalent bond are observed in C/P co-doped 2D AlN, confirming the variation in structure and electron state. Band gap values of C/P co-doped 2D AlN are drastically reduced due to bonding ability enhancement by C atom, which renders C/P coupling anti-bonding state is pushed to valence band. Optical properties are measured at low energy range. Enhanced optical response at E‖ x and E‖ y is attributed to the co-doping of C and P, resulting in improved optical conductivity, adsorption ability, refractive N (ω) and reflectivity R (ω). Especially for 2D Al 16 N 13 C 2 P 1 modified by 2 C and 1 P atom doped in N sites (2C/1P), nearly three times increase is detected for optical conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compound Jixuecao Decoction (CJD) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine prescribed in China to treat chronic renal failure (CRF). Previous studies have shown that CJD affects cell apoptosis and proliferation. However, the mechanism of its renal protective action has not been characterized. To explore the mechanism(s) underlying the effect of CJD on endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and apoptosis in the treatment of CRF using network pharmacology, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and in vivo studies. The compounds comprising CJD were extracted from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database. A Swiss target prediction database and similarity integration approach were employed to identify potential targets of these components. The GeneCards and DisGeNET databases were used to identify targets associated with CRF, apoptosis, and ERS. The STRING database was employed to analyze the protein–protein interactions (PPIs) associated with drug–disease crossover. A chemical composition-shared target network was established, and critical pathways were identified through gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses. The Protein Data Bank database was used to search key proteins, while molecular docking and dynamics simulations were performed between the top four CJD active ingredients and proteins involved in apoptosis and ERS in CRF. Subsequent in vivo studies using a 5/6 nephrectomy rat model of CRF were performed to verify the findings. The 80 compounds identified in CJD yielded 875 target genes, of which 216 were potentially related to CRF. PPI network analysis revealed key targets via topology filtering. Enrichment analysis, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation results suggested that CJD primarily targets mitofusin-2 (MFN2), B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL2), BAX, protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK), and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) during CRF treatment. In vivo, CJD significantly increased the abundance of MFN2, BCL2, and significantly reduced the abundance of BAX, PERK, CHOP proteins in kidney tissues, indicating that CJD could improve apoptosis and ERS in CRF rats. This study provides evidence that CJD effectively delays CFR through modulation of the MFN2 and PERK–eIF2α–ATF4–CHOP signaling pathways. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the effects of temperature variability on rotavirus infections among children under 5 years of age in Kathmandu, Nepal. Findings may inform infection control planning, especially in relation to the role of environmental factors in the transmission of rotavirus infection. Generalized linear Poisson regression equations with distributed lag non-linear model were fitted to estimate the effect of temperature (maximum, mean and minimum) variation on weekly counts of rotavirus infections among children under 5 years of age living in Kathmandu, Nepal, over the study period (2013 to 2016). Seasonality and long-term effects were adjusted in the model using Fourier terms up to the seventh harmonic and a time function, respectively. We further adjusted the model for the confounding effects of rainfall and relative humidity. During the study period, a total of 733 cases of rotavirus infection were recorded, with a mean of 3 cases per week. We detected an inverse non-linear association between rotavirus infection and average weekly mean temperature, with increased risk (RR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.08–2.15) at the lower quantile (10th percentile) and decreased risk (RR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.43–0.95) at the higher quantile (75th percentile). Similarly, we detected an increased risk [(RR: 1.93; 95% CI: 1.40–2.65) and (RR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.04–1.95)] of rotavirus infection for both maximum and minimum temperature at their lower quantile (10th percentile). We estimated that 344 (47.01%) cases of rotavirus diarrhoea among the children under 5 years of age were attributable to minimum temperature. The significant effect of temperature on rotavirus infection was not observed beyond lag zero week. An inverse non-linear association was estimated between rotavirus incidence and all three indices of temperature, indicating a higher risk of infection during the cooler times of the year, and suggesting that transmission of rotavirus in Kathmandu, Nepal may be influenced by temperature. Unlabelled Image • Rotavirus infection risk increased with decreased in all three temperature indices. • An inverse nonlinear association was observed between rotavirus infection and temperature. • Relative risk was higher for lower percentiles of temperature. • 47.01% of cases (<5 years age) were attributable to minimum temperature. • No significant association was observed with rainfall and relative humidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Passive radiative cooling without energy consumption is increasingly being explored as an eco‐friendly alternative to electric cooling for mitigating heat stress caused by global warming. Incorporating radiative cooling into personal thermal management has garnered widespread interest. However, existing sub‐ambient radiative cooling textiles face challenges related to inferior solar reflectance, poor outdoor durability, or health concerns. Here, a durable multilayer silk textile (MST) is developed that achieves excellent comprehensive performance for the first time, including both ultrahigh solar reflectance (96.5%) and ultrahigh infrared emittance (97.1%), safety, air and moisture permeability, high mechanical strength, washability, abrasion resistance, surface hydrophobicity, and UV resistance. The MST achieves a remarkable sub‐ambient temperature drop of 5.1 °C under 892.4 W m−2 of ultra‐strong solar radiation and surpasses both commercial silk and cotton textiles at noon with temperature reductions of 6.0 and 8.3 °C, respectively. For proof of concept, a hat using the MST is fabricated, which shows improved cooling performance compared to commercial hats. Considering its outstanding cooling performance, durability, zero energy consumption, abundant raw materials, and scalable production ability, it is believed that the radiative cooling MST holds great promise for practical applications in daytime personal thermal management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the relationship between syntactic complexity and writing quality, measured by both syntactic elaboration and diversity, based on 410 narrative essays of adolescent beginner and intermediate Chinese EFL learners. Syntactic elaboration measures were analyzed by the L2 Syntactic Complexity Analyzer. Syntactic diversity was measured by the corrected type-token ratio of dependency relations, a new metric proposed by this study. Three regression analyses were conducted, each with writing scores as an outcome variable, but the syntactic elaboration model employed traditional syntactic elaboration measures as explanatory variables; the syntactic diversity model employed the syntactic diversity measure; and the combined model used all of the measures. The results show that 1) syntactic elaboration measures account for 36.6% of the variance in writing scores, with mean length of sentence, complex nominals per clause, and clauses per T-unit as the best predictors; 2) the syntactic diversity measure alone could predict 32.1% of the variance in writing scores; 3) the combined model, including both syntactic elaboration and syntactic diversity measures, could explain 45.3% of the variance (the largest amount of variance in the study) in writing scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Nepal has been identified as a country highly vulnerable to adverse health and socioeconomic impacts arising from climate change, extant research on climate sensitive infectious diseases has yet to develop the evidence base to adequately address these threats. In this opinion paper we identify and characterise basic requirements that are hindering the progress of climate change and infectious disease research in Nepal. Our opinion is that immediate attention should be given to strengthening Nepal's public health surveillance system, promoting inter-sectoral collaboration, improving public health capacity, and enhancing community engagement in disease surveillance. Moreover, we advocate for greater technical support of public health researchers, and data sharing among data custodians and epidemiologists/researchers, to generate salient evidence to guide relevant public health policy formulation aimed at addressing the impacts of climate change on human health in Nepal. International studies on climate variability and infectious diseases have clearly demonstrated that climate sensitive diseases, namely vector-borne and food/water-borne diseases, are sensitive to climate variation and climate change. This research has driven the development and implementation of climate-based early warning systems for preventing potential outbreaks of climate-sensitive infectious diseases across many European and African countries. Similarly, we postulate that Nepal would greatly benefit from a climate-based early warning system, which would assist in identification or prediction of conditions suitable for disease emergence and facilitate a timely response to reduce mortality and morbidity during epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• More complex structures are used in the writings of higher-level learners. • Length- and subordination-based measures are better predictors of proficiency. • Some subordinate types occur more often in the writings of higher-level learners. • Frequencies of some post-noun modifiers correlate positively with proficiency. • Frequency of compound nouns correlates negatively with writing proficiency. This study investigates the syntactic complexity, as measured by both large-grained and fine-grained measures, of 410 narrative writings across four writing proficiency levels written by beginner and intermediate L2 English learners. By exploring the differences in syntactic complexity between writings at different proficiency levels, the study is purposed to find out the measures that can best discriminate and predict writing proficiency. The L2 Syntactic Complexity Analyzer and the dependency syntactically-annotated corpus are used respectively to collect the data for large-grained and fine-grained measures. With regard to large-grained measures, it is found that students with higher writing proficiency tend to produce longer language units, more subordinate clauses, more coordinate clauses, and more noun phrases in their writings; mean length of T-unit, mean length of sentence, and dependent clauses per clause can better predict writing proficiency than other traditional large-grained measures. As for fine-grained measures, it is found that three types of subordinate clauses, that is, adverbial clauses, complement clauses and relative clauses, and two types of noun modifiers, that is, prepositional phrases and adjectival relative clauses, occur more frequently in the writings of more proficient learners; the frequency of compound nouns correlates negatively with writing proficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable devices have become very important for collecting health information and monitoring the condition of seriously ill patients. However, most recently developed wearable devices can only monitor limited signals within a very small range of values. A novel sensor is fabricated by modifying the surface of polyimide nanowires with silver nanoparticles. These nanowire sensors can sense both pressure and temperature changes and have antimicrobial properties. The fabricated sensor can detect a wide range of pressure variation from 5 KPa to 100 KPa. A theoretical model is developed to explain the sensing mechanism of the silver‐nanoparticle‐modified polyimide nanowires. The experimental and theoretical results for the nanowires are in good agreement. By attaching these sensors to human joints and fingers, real‐time information can be detected for human motion, such as walking or holding a hot cup of water. The excellent performance of this device shows that it has great potential for use in artificial skins for detecting temperature and human motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart Mobile Devices (SMDs) are crucial for the edge computing paradigm's real-world sensing. Real-time applications, which are computationally intensive and periodic with strict time constraints, can typically be used to replicate real-world sensing. Such applications call for increased processing speed, memory capacity, and battery life on SMDs, which are typically resource-constrained due to physical size restrictions. As a result, scheduling real-time applications for SMDs that are power efficient is crucial for the regular operation of edge computing platforms, and downstream decision-making tasks like computation offloading require the prediction of power consumption using power-saving approaches like DVFS. The main question is how to swiftly develop a better solution to the NP-Hard power efficient scheduling problem with DVFS. Thus, by segmenting the aligned tasks on an SMD, we present a segment-based analysis approach. Additionally, we offer a segment-based scheduling algorithm (SEDF) that draws inspiration from the segment-based analysis approach to achieve power-efficient scheduling for these real-time workloads. This segment-based approach yields a power consumption bound (PB), and a computation offloading use case is developed to demonstrate the application of PB in the subsequent decision-making processes. Both simulations and actual device tests are used to confirm the PB, SEDF, and the effectiveness of offloading decision-making. We demonstrate empirically that PB can be utilized to make approximative optimal decisions in decision-making problems involving computation offloading. SEDF is a straightforward and effective scheduling approach that can cut the power consumption of a multi-core SMD by roughly 30%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have explored the associations between air pollutants and influenza across seasons, especially at large scales. This study aimed to evaluate seasons' modifying effects on associations between air pollutants and influenza from 10 cities of southern China. Through scientific evidence, it provides mitigation and adaptation strategies with practical guidelines to local health authorities and environmental protection agencies. Daily influenza incidence, meteorological, and air pollutants data from 2016 to 2019 were collected. Quasi-Poisson regression with a distributed lag nonlinear model was used to evaluate city-specific air pollutants and influenza associations. Meta-analysis was used to pool site-specific estimates. Attributable fractions (AFs) of influenza incidence due to pollutants were calculated. Stratified analyses were conducted by season, sex, and age. Overall, the cumulative relative risk (CRR) of influenza incidence for a 10-unit increase in PM 2.5 , PM 10 , SO 2 , NO 2 , and CO was 1.45 (95% CI: 1.25, 1.68), 1.53 (95% CI: 1.29, 1.81), 1.87 (95% CI: 1.40, 2.48), 1.74 (95% CI: 1.49, 2.03), and 1.19 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.36), respectively. Children aged 0–17 were more sensitive to air pollutants in spring and winter. PM 10 had greater effect on influenza than PM 2.5 in autumn, winter, and overall, lesser in spring. The overall AF due to PM 2.5 , PM 10 , SO 2 , NO 2, and CO was 4.46% (95% eCI: 2.43%, 6.43%), 5.03% (95% eCI: 2.33%, 7.56%), 5.36% (95% eCI: 3.12%, 7.58%), 24.88% (95% eCI: 18.02%, 31.67%), and 23.22% (95% eCI: 17.56%, 28.61%), respectively. AF due to O 3 was 10.00% (95% eCI: 4.76%, 14.95%) and 3.65% (95% eCI: 0.50%, 6.59%) in spring and summer, respectively. The seasonal variations in the associations between air pollutants and influenza in southern China would provide evidence to service providers for tailored intervention, especially for vulnerable populations. [Display omitted] • First multi-site study on pollutants' effects to influenza in southern China. • PM 2.5 , PM 10 , SO 2 , and NO 2 increased influenza infection risks in winter and overall. • PM 10 had greater effects on influenza than PM 2.5 in autumn, winter, and overall. • Children aged 0–17 were more sensitive to air pollutants in spring and winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background With high temperature becoming an increasing health risk due to a changing climate, it is important to quantify the scale of the problem. However, estimating the burden of disease (BoD) attributable to high temperature can be challenging due to differences in risk patterns across geographical regions and data accessibility issues. Methods We present a methodological framework that uses Köppen–Geiger climate zones to refine exposure levels and quantifies the difference between the burden observed due to high temperatures and what would have been observed if the population had been exposed to the theoretical minimum risk exposure distribution (TMRED). Our proposed method aligned with the Australian Burden of Disease Study and included two parts: (i) estimation of the population attributable fractions (PAF); and then (ii) estimation of the BoD attributable to high temperature. We use suicide and self-inflicted injuries in Australia as an example, with most frequent temperatures (MFTs) as the minimum risk exposure threshold (TMRED). Results Our proposed framework to estimate the attributable BoD accounts for the importance of geographical variations of risk estimates between climate zones, and can be modified and adapted to other diseases and contexts that may be affected by high temperatures. Conclusions As the heat-related BoD may continue to increase in the future, this method is useful in estimating burdens across climate zones. This work may have important implications for preventive health measures, by enhancing the reproducibility and transparency of BoD research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract As a promising thermoelectric material, copper selenides have attracted the interest of researchers owing to their low cost, abundance in earth, environmental friendliness, and low thermal conductivity. In this study, copper selenide (Cu 2-x Se) powders with controllable sizes from nanoscale to mesoscale were obtained by a facile one-pot solvothermal method. After treatment with spark plasma sintering, the nanoscale Cu 2-x Se pellets exhibited excellent thermoelectric properties such as sharply reduced thermal conductivity and enhanced Seebeck coefficient as well as a suppressed electrical conductivity. The figure of merit (ZT) of the nanoscale Cu 2-x Se reached up to ∼1.51 at 873 K, which is about 2.67 times higher than that of the meso-Cu 2-x Se. This study confirms that thermoelectric properties can be enhanced by the size effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excess heat factor (EHF) is being adopted nationally for heatwave forecasting in Australia, but there is limited research utilizing it as a predictor for heat-related morbidity from diseases of the urinary system (urinary diseases). In this study, the incidence of eight temperature-prone specific urinary disease categories was analyzed in relation to the EHF. Daily data for maximum and minimum temperature and data for metropolitan hospital emergency department presentations and inpatient admissions for urinary disease were acquired in Adelaide, South Australia, from 1 July 2003 to 31 March 2014. An increased incidence for urolithiasis, acute kidney injury (AKI), chronic kidney disease, and lower urinary tract infections was associated with the EHF. Using the Australian national heatwave definition with the EHF, emergency department presentations increased on heatwave days compared to non-heatwave days for total urinary disease (IRR 1.046, 95% CI 1.016–1.076), urolithiasis (IRR 1.106, 95% 1.046–1.169), and acute kidney injury (AKI) (IRR 1.416, 95% CI 1.258–1.594). Likewise, inpatient admissions increased for total urinary disease (IRR 1.090, 95% CI 1.048–1.133) and AKI (IRR 1.335, 95% CI 1.204–1.480). The EHF is a reliable metric for predicting heat-induced morbidity from urinary disease. Climate change-related elevations in temperature can increase morbidity from urinary disease, especially AKI and urolithiasis. Diseases of the urinary system should be highlighted when providing public health guidance during heatwaves indicated by the EHF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Relationship between heat and work injuries is strong but varies by work location and type of work. • Research is needed to characterize specific injuries, workers at risk and injury mechanisms. • There is a need for employers and workers to be aware of the health risks during hot weather. • Targeted interventions and workplace policies focussed on preventative strategies are needed. Abstract Rationale There is increasing concern about occupational illness, injury and productivity losses due to hot weather in a changing climate. Most of the current understanding appears to relate to heat-induced illness, and relatively little regarding injuries. Objectives This paper sought to summarise the evidence on the relationship between heat exposure and injuries, to describe aetiological mechanisms and to provide policy suggestions and further research directions. Methods A literature review was conducted using a systematic search for published and grey-literature using Embase, PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Science Direct and Web of Science databases as well as relevant websites. Results and conclusions There was a diversity of studies in terms of occupations, industries and methods utilised. The evidence suggests an imprecise but positive relationship between hot weather and occupational injuries, and the most likely mechanism involves fatigue, reduced psychomotor performance, loss of concentration and reduced alertness. The findings reflect an increased awareness of injury risk during hot weather and the economic benefits associated with averting injury, poor health outcomes and lost productivity. Implications More work is required to characterise specific injuries and the workers at risk. Policymakers and employers should be aware that heat exposure can lead to occupational injuries with information and training resources developed to aid prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: There are ongoing concerns about treatment failure with azithromycin for the treatment of rectal chlamydia. Aim: To investigate treatment efficacy of two treatments for rectal chlamydial infection. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients diagnosed with rectal chlamydial infection between 2009 and 2015 in Adelaide, Australia. Patients were treated with either azithromycin (1 g single dose) or doxycycline (100 mg twice a day for 10 days) and returned for repeat testing 14–180 days after treatment commenced. Log‐binomial models were used to estimate the relative risk (RR) of recurrent rectal chlamydia associated with the treatment with azithromycin versus doxycycline. Results: In men, rectal chlamydia prevalence was 6.7%, and in women, it was 8.1%. Of the 526 patients diagnosed with rectal chlamydial infections, 419 (79.7%), 93 (17.7%) and 14 (2.6%) patients were treated with doxycycline, azithromycin or other medication respectively. Of these patients, 173 (41.3%) of 419 doxycycline‐treated patients and 31 (33.3%) of 93 azithromycin‐treated patients were retested between 14 and 180 days after treatment commenced (P = 0.16). Among these patients, the repeat rectal chlamydia test was less commonly positive in those treated with doxycycline (5.8%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.03–0.10) compared with those treated with azithromycin (19.4%; 95% CI 0.09–0.36) and (P = 0.01). In the multivariate analysis, azithromycin‐treated patients had a significantly higher risk of a positive test in the 14 and 180 days after treatment commenced (adjusted relative risk (aRR) 2.96, 95% CI 1.16–7.57). Conclusion: The findings suggest that doxycycline may be more effective than azithromycin in treating rectal chlamydial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationships between composition, microstructure and electrochemical properties are of fundamental importance in understanding the corrosion of multiphase materials and thus in aiding in the design of new materials. A local electrochemical test system which combines a capillary device with a photolithographic mask has been developed to investigate the local electrochemical properties of a predefined micron-sized area with greater reliability and versatility than existing approaches. Independent electrochemical measurements were conducted on the different phases of a 2205 duplex stainless steel in NaCl solution, demonstrating the feasibility of the developed test system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Femto-second laser irradiation on P3HT:PCBM solutions have been demonstrated to have a significant impact on the conformational structures and photovoltaic performance of the resultant thin films. The crystallinity and edge-on/face-on conformations of P3HT and the aggregation of PCBM can be manipulated by controlling the wavelength (400–800 nm) and illumination duration (1–3 h) of the lasers. Grazing incidence wide- and small-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS and GISAXS) have been simultaneously utilized to characterize the nanostructures of the P3HT:PCBM blend films spin-cast from pristine and laser-irradiated solutions. The results show that the crystallinity, π-π* stacking and face-on conformations of P3HT can be enhanced as a result of the laser irradiation at 500 nm for 3 h. Furthermore, the diffusion and aggregation of PCBM molecules are suppressed by the photo-induced dimerization, as evidenced by the Raman spectra of the films cast from laser-irradiated PCBM solutions. The time-resolved fluorescence decay profiles show the charge transfer efficiency is improved, which may correlate to the supramolecular ordering of the polythiophene chains and the optimized phase separation in P3HT:PCBM composite. In the P3HT:PCBM active layer of the organic solar cells, more efficient charge transport and fine interpenetrating networks can be achieved due to the improved conformational microstructures. Consequently, the short-circuit current densities and power conversion efficiencies can be enhanced in organic solar cells based on the laser-irradiation processed P3HT:PCBM solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional (3-D) graphene foam/PANI nanorods were fabricated by hydrothermal treatment of graphene oxide (GO) solution and sequentially in-situ synthesis of PANI nanorods on the surface of graphene hydrogel. 3-D graphene foam was used as substrate for the growth of PANI nanorods and it increases the specific surface area as well as the double layer capacitance performance of the graphene foam/PANI nanorod composite. The length of the PANI nanorod is about 340 nm . PANI nanorods exhibited a short stick shape. These PANI nanorods agglomerate together and the growth orientation is anisotropic. The highest specific capacitance of 3-D graphene/PANI nanorod composite electrodes is 352 F g −1 at the scan rate of 10 mV s −1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells to drive off-grid microelectronic devices under indoor light has attracted broad attention. As organic semiconductors intrinsically have less ordered intermolecular packing than inorganic materials, the relatively larger energetic disorder is one of the main results that limit the photovoltaic efficiency of the OPV cells at low carrier density. Here, we optimize the alkyl chains of non-fullerene acceptors to get suppressed energetic disorder. We find the optimal acceptor DTz-R1 with the shortest alkyl chain has the strongest crystalline property and lowest energetic disorder. As a result, over 26% efficiency is recorded for the 1 cm2 OPV cells under a light-emitting diode illumination of 500 lux. We also fabricate a 100 cm2 cell device and get a PCE of 23.0%, which is an outstanding value for large-area OPV cells. These results suggest that modulation of the energetic disorder is of great importance for further improving the efficiency of OPV cells, especially for indoor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore animal science and veterinary students' and livestock farmers' perceptions concerning Q fever prevention. Design: An online survey with an open‐ended question seeking knowledge and perceptions about Q fever prevention was distributed among participants during March‐September 2019. We applied thematic analysis to identify emerging themes. Setting: Animal science and veterinary students enrolled at the University of Adelaide and members of Livestock South Australia representing cattle, sheep and goat farmers in South Australia. Participants: A total of56 animal science and veterinary students and 154 livestock farmers responded to the open‐ended question. Interventions: Not applicable. Main outcome measures: Perceived challenges and opportunities for a coordinated Q fever prevention approach including human vaccination reported by the participants. Results: Two major themes arose in each group. Students and farmers viewed Q fever vaccination as important. However, excessive cost for students was a barrier and for farmers, it was general practitioners' lack of knowledge of Q fever and access to an accredited immunisation provider. Similarly, both groups highlighted the need for education and increasing public and community awareness of Q fever. Conclusion: Our findings underscore that a sector‐wide approach involving community awareness programmes, education and training for general practitioners, and subsidised vaccination as well as commitment from government and industry partners may contribute to reducing the burden of Q fever among at‐risk populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced heat‐managing textiles not only improve the comfort of individual but also reduce the energy consumption of the heat‐managing systems of building. To meet the demand of heat‐managing in a dynamic environment, responsive textiles with tunable thermal convection and radiation have been developed, while the design of fabrics with tunable thermal conduction remains unexplored. Here, a humidity‐driven and flexible thermal conductance regulating material is developed that shows an unprecedented switching ratio up to 14×, which is composed of brick‐and‐mortar structured graphene and silk sericin (GS). This work investigates the microstructure variation in response to humidity experimentally and theoretically. The regulation can be ascribed to the hydration/dehydration of sericin and the subsequent changing in graphene–sericin interfacial thermal conductance. It is demonstrated that the GS can be facilely coated on ordinary textiles through dyeing to achieve responsive thermal‐managing clothes with a significant and reversible response toward the variation of environment humidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dengue is endemic in more than 100 countries, mainly in tropical and subtropical regions, and the incidence has increased 30-fold in the past 50 years. The situation of dengue in China has become more and more severe, with an unprecedented dengue outbreak hitting south China in 2014. Building a dengue early warning system is therefore urgent and necessary for timely and effective response. Methodology and Principal Findings: In the study we developed a time series Poisson multivariate regression model using imported dengue cases, local minimum temperature and accumulative precipitation to predict the dengue occurrence in four districts of Guangzhou, China. The time series data were decomposed into seasonal, trend and remainder components using a seasonal-trend decomposition procedure based on loess (STL). The time lag of climatic factors included in the model was chosen based on Spearman correlation analysis. Autocorrelation, seasonality and long-term trend were controlled in the model. A best model was selected and validated using Generalized Cross Validation (GCV) score and residual test. The data from March 2006 to December 2012 were used to develop the model while the data from January 2013 to September 2014 were employed to validate the model. Time series Poisson model showed that imported cases in the previous month, minimum temperature in the previous month and accumulative precipitation with three month lags could project the dengue outbreaks occurred in 2013 and 2014 after controlling the autocorrelation, seasonality and long-term trend. Conclusions: Together with the sole transmission vector Aedes albopictus, imported cases, monthly minimum temperature and monthly accumulative precipitation may be used to develop a low-cost effective early warning system. Author Summary: Dengue has emerged as the most important mosquito-borne viral disease globally. With increasing global trade and population movement, the disease is transferred to regions which were previously dengue free. When dengue vector exists and weather factors are suitable, there is the possibility for dengue transmission and even outbreaks happening. Dengue is still believed to be a non-endemic disease in China, with imported cases playing a vital role in local dengue transmission. The situation of dengue is becoming more and more severe with two successive large outbreaks hitting southern China in 2013 and 2014, and the dengue outbreak in 2014 was unprecedented. In this study, we aim to develop a dengue forecasting model that would provide an early warning of dengue outbreak to allow local health authorities and communities to implement timely effective control measures. Our model showed that imported cases in the previous month, monthly minimum temperature in the previous month and monthly accumulative precipitation with three month lags could predict dengue outbreak ahead by one month. We concluded that these variables could be used to develop an early dengue warning model to provide evidence-based decisions for disease control and prevention and including the utilization of limited resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dengue is endemic in more than 100 countries, mainly in tropical and subtropical regions, and the incidence has increased 30-fold in the past 50 years. The situation of dengue in China has become more and more severe, with an unprecedented dengue outbreak hitting south China in 2014. Building a dengue early warning system is therefore urgent and necessary for timely and effective response. Methodology and Principal Findings: In the study we developed a time series Poisson multivariate regression model using imported dengue cases, local minimum temperature and accumulative precipitation to predict the dengue occurrence in four districts of Guangzhou, China. The time series data were decomposed into seasonal, trend and remainder components using a seasonal-trend decomposition procedure based on loess (STL). The time lag of climatic factors included in the model was chosen based on Spearman correlation analysis. Autocorrelation, seasonality and long-term trend were controlled in the model. A best model was selected and validated using Generalized Cross Validation (GCV) score and residual test. The data from March 2006 to December 2012 were used to develop the model while the data from January 2013 to September 2014 were employed to validate the model. Time series Poisson model showed that imported cases in the previous month, minimum temperature in the previous month and accumulative precipitation with three month lags could project the dengue outbreaks occurred in 2013 and 2014 after controlling the autocorrelation, seasonality and long-term trend. Conclusions: Together with the sole transmission vector Aedes albopictus, imported cases, monthly minimum temperature and monthly accumulative precipitation may be used to develop a low-cost effective early warning system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using aqueous two-phase flotation (ATPF), a new pretreatment method for separating and concentrating liquiritin and glycyrrhizic acid from the aqueous extract of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch was developed, and the target compounds were obtained with high purity by further purification of multi-stage preparative high performance liquid chromatography (pre-HPLC). In the ATPF section, the effects of flotation solvent, solution pH, (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 concentration in aqueous solution, N 2 flow rate and flotation time on the recovery were investigated in detail, and the optimal conditions of ATPF were selected. The emulsification effect in ATPF process was discovered for the first time, and the significant influence on the recovery of target compounds was discussed in detail. Under the optimal conditions (PEG2000 as the flotation solvent, pH 7, (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 concentration of 350 g/L in aqueous phase, N 2 flow rate of 50 ml/min, and flotation time of 40 min), the recoveries of liquiritin and glycyrrhizic acid were more than 93% and 88%, respectively. After ATPF concentration, the flotation products were purified by two-step pre-HPLC. As determined by HPLC, both the purities of the final products were over 99%. The research results indicated that the combination of ATPF and pre-HPLC is a feasible and practical method to obtain the water-soluble active compounds from natural product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Each year there are approximately 390 million dengue infections worldwide. Weather variables have a significant impact on the transmission of Dengue Fever (DF), a mosquito borne viral disease. DF in mainland China is characterized as an imported disease. Hence it is necessary to explore the roles of imported cases, mosquito density and climate variability in dengue transmission in China. The study was to identify the relationship between dengue occurrence and possible risk factors and to develop a predicting model for dengue’s control and prevention purpose. Methodology and Principal Findings: Three traditional suburbs and one district with an international airport in Guangzhou city were selected as the study areas. Autocorrelation and cross-correlation analysis were used to perform univariate analysis to identify possible risk factors, with relevant lagged effects, associated with local dengue cases. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to extract principal components and PCA score was used to represent the original variables to reduce multi-collinearity. Combining the univariate analysis and prior knowledge, time-series Poisson regression analysis was conducted to quantify the relationship between weather variables, Breteau Index, imported DF cases and the local dengue transmission in Guangzhou, China. The goodness-of-fit of the constructed model was determined by pseudo-R2, Akaike information criterion (AIC) and residual test. There were a total of 707 notified local DF cases from March 2006 to December 2012, with a seasonal distribution from August to November. There were a total of 65 notified imported DF cases from 20 countries, with forty-six cases (70.8%) imported from Southeast Asia. The model showed that local DF cases were positively associated with mosquito density, imported cases, temperature, precipitation, vapour pressure and minimum relative humidity, whilst being negatively associated with air pressure, with different time lags. Conclusions: Imported DF cases and mosquito density play a critical role in local DF transmission, together with weather variables. The establishment of an early warning system, using existing surveillance datasets will help to control and prevent dengue in Guangzhou, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Heatwaves are associated with increases in mortality and morbidity (mostly hospitalisations). However, evidence regarding heatwave impacts on the use of frontline health-services such as general practitioner (GP) consultations and emergency department (ED) services is limited. This study quantified the impact of heatwaves on the use of GP and ED services in Adelaide. Methods Data on GP services (2011-2016) from the Medicare Benefits Schedule and ED visits (2013-2018) were obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Department of Health, respectively. Heatwaves were defined using Excess Heat Factor. Using time-stratified case-crossover models, we modelled heatwave-severity (low, severe/extreme) against the use of GP and ED services in the warm-season (October-March). Effect estimates are reported as relative risks (RRs). Results Total GP visits decreased during low-intensity heatwaves and increased during severe/extreme heatwaves (RR 1.14; 95%CI: 1.13-1.15). The highest increases during severe/extreme heatwaves were observed for respiratory (RR 1.36; 95%CI: 1.27-1.45) and psychiatric services. While ED visits decreased overall during low-intensity and severe/extreme heatwaves, those due to heat-light disorders (RR 4.23; 95%CI: 2.98-6.00), volume depletion, and respiratory diseases increased during severe/extreme heatwaves. Conclusions There were significant increases in the use of GP and specific ED services during heatwaves in Adelaide. Further research is needed to identify the intrinsic and extrinsic vulnerability factors contributing to these increases in Adelaide and other Australian cities. Key messages Impacts of heatwaves extend beyond mortality to include frontline health-services (GP/EDs) that are already challenged. Evidence presented may assist policymakers for resource allocation and healthcare workforce capacity building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]