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Clustered tensegrity structures integrated with continuous cables are lightweight, foldable, and deployable. Thus, they can be used as flexible manipulators or soft robots. The actuation process of such soft structure has high probabilistic sensitivity. It is essential to quantify the uncertainty of actuated responses of the tensegrity structures and to modulate their deformation accurately. In this work, we propose a comprehensive data-driven computational approach to study the uncertainty quantification (UQ) and probability propagation in clustered tensegrity structures, and we have developed a surrogate optimization model to control the flexible structure deformation. An example of clustered tensegrity beam subjected to a clustered actuation is presented to demonstrate the validity of the approach and its potential application. The three main novelties of the data-driven framework are: (1) The proposed model can avoid the difficulty of convergence in nonlinear Finite Element Analysis (FEA), by two machine learning methods, the Gauss Process Regression (GPR) and Neutral Network (NN). (2) A fast real-time prediction on uncertainty propagation can be achieved by the surrogate model, and (3) Optimization of the actuated deformation comes true by using both Sequence Quadratic Programming (SQP) and Bayesian optimization methods. The results have shown that the proposed data-driven computational approach is powerful and can be extended to other UQ models or alternative optimization objectives.

Traditional villages are an important cultural heritage left by China's agrarian civilization and serve as a testament to the historical development of the Chinese nation. The study of spatial and cultural differentiation in traditional villages is significant for their future preservation and development. Existing studies predominantly adopt a macro perspective, focusing on large-scale regions, and lack investigations from a micro perspective in medium- and small-scale areas. This study utilizes ArcGIS 10.8 for spatial analysis, multi-factor geographic detectors, and cultural geography spatial zoning methods to explore the spatial structure and cultural differentiation of 305 traditional villages in western Henan. The results indicate that the distribution of traditional villages in this region is significantly clustered and uneven, primarily concentrated in specific districts of Sanmenxia and Luoyang. Per capita GDP and the distance to roads are negatively correlated with the distribution of traditional settlements, reflecting the positive impact of lower economic levels and remote locations on village preservation. The spatial layout of traditional villages in western Henan exhibits clustering patterns, with cultural zoning characterized by distinct residential forms. This study, through the analysis of the spatial structure characteristics and influencing factors of traditional villages in the western Henan region, provides a new perspective on the formation and evolution of traditional villages, revealing the cultural differentiation characteristics of western Henan. The research results offer directional guidance for the conservation strategies of traditional villages in western Henan and provide a decision-making reference for cultural heritage conservation practices in similar regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban vitality is a concept that reflects dynamic changes in economic, social, and cultural aspects, emphasizing the importance of diversified land use and dense population. With technological advancements, research methods on urban vitality are increasingly diverse, particularly with the application of big data and geographic information systems providing new perspectives and tools for such studies. Currently, research on the vitality of inland Central Plains cities in China is relatively limited and largely confined to specific administrative areas, leading to an inadequate understanding of basic economic activities and population distribution within cities. Therefore, this study aims to explore the spatial distribution characteristics of urban vitality and its influencing factors in Zhengzhou's main urban area, providing a scientific basis for urban planning and sustainable development. This study utilizes methods that include Densi graph curve analysis, the entropy method, and the multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) model, integrating statistical data, geographic information, and remote sensing imagery of Zhengzhou in 2023. The MGWR model analysis reveals: (1) Urban vitality in Zhengzhou's main urban area exhibits a concentric pattern, with high vitality at the center gradually decreasing toward the periphery, showing significant spatial differences in economic, population, and cultural vitality. (2) Various influencing factors positively correlate with urban vitality in the main urban area, but due to shortcomings in urban development strategies and planning, some factors negatively impact vitality in the central area while positively affecting vitality in peripheral areas. Based on these findings, this study provides relevant evidence and theoretical support for urban planning and sustainable development in Zhengzhou, aiding in the formulation of more effective urban development strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one form of urban green infrastructure, city parks provide essential ecosystem services and serve as a vital link connecting citizens with natural ecosystems. The public, as the primary beneficiaries of urban park ecosystem services, plays a crucial role in guiding the improvement and development trends of urban park planning. Most existing studies assess the comprehensive value of green spaces from a macro scale, with few focusing on the cultural and regulatory ecosystem services of urban parks and public perception of these services at the park level. This study targets 11 typical urban parks in Luoyang City, collecting 771 samples through field mapping and surveys. It analyzes users' socio-demographic characteristics, perception abilities, usage preferences, and service satisfaction, linking these subjective factors with objective elements of the park environment, such as fitness and recreational facilities. The results indicate that respondents with knowledge of ecosystem services are better able to evaluate and understand services such as air pollution reduction and noise reduction in parks, while those without such knowledge tend to focus more on services that they can intuitively perceive, such as biodiversity conservation and microclimate regulation. Additionally, the middle-income group exhibits a higher level of awareness of park ecosystem services, which depends on their active social participation. The findings of this study suggest that enhancing public understanding of ecosystem services through environmental education is key to improving the quality of urban ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aortic dissection (AD), caused by tearing of the intima and avulsion of the aortic media, is a severe threat to patient life and organ function. Iron is closely related to dissection formation and organ injury, but the mechanism of iron ion transport disorder in endothelial cells (ECs) remains unclear. We identified the characteristic EC of dissection with iron overload by single-cell RNA sequencing data. After intersecting iron homeostasis and differentially expressed genes, it was found that hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) are key genes for iron ion disorder. Subsequently, IL-6R was identified as an essential reason for the JAK-STAT activation, a classical iron regulation pathway, through further intersection and validation. In in vivo and in vitro , both high IL-6 receptor expression and elevated IL-6 levels promote JAK1-STAT3 phosphorylation, leading to increased HIF-1α protein levels. Elevated HIF-1α binds explicitly to the 5'-UTR sequence of the DMT1 gene and transcriptionally promotes DMT1 expression, thereby increasing Fe 2+ accumulation and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). Blocking IL-6R and free iron with deferoxamine and tocilizumab significantly prolonged survival and reduced aortic and organ damage in dissection mice. A comparison of perioperative data between AD patients and others revealed that high free iron, IL-6, and ERS levels are characteristics of AD patients and are correlated with prognosis. In conclusion, activated IL-6/JAK1/STAT3 signaling axis up-regulates DMT1 expression by increasing HIF-1α, thereby increasing intracellular Fe 2+ accumulation and tissue injury, which suggests a potential therapeutic target for AD., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© The author(s).)

Children from circumpolar regions must travel long distances to southern tertiary care centres for specialised care. While there are initiatives underway to support care closer to home, medical travel remains a necessity for many families. The Aakuluk clinic has been operating since 2019 at a tertiary hospital in Ottawa, Canada, to provide care to children from Nunavut. The clinic team includes nurse case managers, physicians, social workers, interpreters, and several community partners. This project aimed to identify the strengths and the challenges of the clinic from the perspectives of parents and healthcare providers. The study was conducted in collaboration with healthcare professionals and community members and was guided by Inuit research approaches. Fifty-one participants (parents and healthcare providers) in Nunavut and Ottawa were interviewed. The main strengths and challenges of the clinic that were reported are related to the following themes: access to holistic care, supporting the role of Inuit professionals as part of the care team, and resources needed to continue offering programmes such as Aakuluk to Inuit families. From the perspectives of parents and healthcare providers, there are several components of the Aakuluk model that can be considered when developing services for Inuit families in other tertiary care centres.

We aimed to characterise the medical and social complexities experienced by Inuit children and their families from Nunavut who were cared for at a general paediatrics clinic at an urban tertiary-level hospital located in Eastern Ontario. A retrospective chart review of this cohort was completed between 2016 and 2019. Two independent reviewers extracted data from charts. The cohort included 36 children, median (interquartile range [IQR]) age 13.5 (6.8, 28.2) months and full age range (1,140) months. They had a median (IQR) of 12.5 (7.8, 18.0) comorbidities, 11 (8.0, 14.2) healthcare services accessed and 3 (2, 5) medications. Almost all children (97.2%) had been hospitalised and the median number of days spent as an inpatient was 31.5. With respect to social complexity variables, 51.9% of clinical interactions (14 of 27 charts reviewed) at any point would have benefitted from an interpreter and 96.7% of 30 patient escorts/companions showed evidence of having difficulty in coping with homesickness. Improving social history taking and integrating screening for social determinants of health within the clinic should be considered. A dedicated interdisciplinary team approach focused on integrative care could be an effective method to improve communication and collaboration between service providers and with Inuit children and their families to reduce systemic health and social inequities.