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Objective: Weight regain after weight loss is a challenge in obesity management. The metabolic changes and underlying mechanisms in obese people with weight fluctuation remain to be elucidated. In the present study, we aimed to profile the features and clinical significance of liver transcriptome in obese mice with weight regain after weight loss. Methods: The male C57BL/6J mice were fed with standard chow diet or high-fat diet (HFD). After 9 weeks, the HFD-induced obese mice were randomly divided into weight gain (WG), weight loss (WL) and weight regain (WR) group. After 10 weeks of dietary intervention, body weight, fasting blood glucose (FBG), intraperitoneal glucose tolerance, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (T-CHO) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were measured. Morphological structure and lipid droplet accumulation in the liver were observed by H&E staining and oil red O staining, respectively. The liver transcriptome was detected by RNA sequencing. Protein expressions of liver cytochrome P450 3a11 (Cyp3a11) and E4 promoter-binding protein 4 (E4bp4) were determined by Western blot. Results: After 10 weeks of dietary intervention, the body weight, FBG, glucose area under the curve, T-CHO and LDL-C in WL group were significantly lower than those in WG group (P < 0.05). At 4 weeks of HFD re-feeding, the mice in WR group presented body weight and T-CHO significantly lower than those in WG group, whereas higher than those in WL group (P < 0.05). Hepatic vacuolar degeneration and lipid droplet accumulation in the liver were significantly alleviated in WL group and WR group, compared to those in WG group. The liver transcriptome associated with lipid metabolism was significantly altered during weight fluctuation in obese mice. Compared with those in WG group, Cyp3a11 in the liver was significantly upregulated, and E4bp4 was significantly downregulated in WL and WR groups. Conclusion: Obese mice experience weight regain after weight loss by HFD re-feeding, but their glucose and lipid metabolism disorders are milder than those induced by the persistence of obesity. Downregulated E4bp4 and upregulated Cyp3a11 are detected in obese mice after weight loss, suggesting that the E4bp4-Cyp3a11 axis may involved in metabolic mechanisms underlying weight regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electricity consumption behavior of the inhabitants is a major contributor to the uncertainty of the residential load system. Human-caused uncertainty may have a distributional component, but it is not well understood, which limits further understanding the stochastic component of load forecasting. This study proposes a short-term load-interval forecasting method considering the stochastic features caused by users' electricity consumption behavior. The proposed method is composed of two parts: load-point forecasting using singular spectrum analysis and long short-term memory (SSA-LSTM), and load boundaries forecasting using statistical analysis. Firstly, the load sequence is decomposed and recombined using SSA to obtain regular and stochastic subsequences. Then, the load-point forecasting LSTM network model is trained from the regular subsequence. Subsequently, the load boundaries related to load consumption consistency are forecasted by statistical analysis. Finally, the forecasting results are combined to obtain the load-interval forecasting result. The case study reveals that compared with other common methods, the proposed method can forecast the load interval more accurately and stably based on the load time series. By using the proposed method, the evaluation index coverage rates (CRs) are (17.50%, 1.95%, 1.05%, 0.97%, 7.80%, 4.55%, 9.52%, 1.11%), (17.95%, 3.02%, 1.49%, 5.49%, 5.03%, 1.66%, 1.49%), (19.79%, 2.79%, 1.43%, 1.18%, 3.37%, 1.42%) higher than the compared methods, and the interval average convergences (IACs) are (−18.19%, −8.15%, 3.97%), (36.97%, 21.92%, 22.59%), (12.31%, 21.59%, 7.22%) compared to the existing methods in three different counties, respectively, which shows that the proposed method has better overall performance and applicability through our discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The segmentation of airborne laser scanning (ALS) point clouds remains a challenge in remote sensing and photogrammetry. Deep learning methods, such as KPCONV, have proven effective on various datasets. However, the rigid convolutional kernel strategy of KPCONV limits its potential use for 3D object segmentation due to its uniform approach. To address this issue, we propose an Integrated Point Convolution (IPCONV) based on KPCONV, which utilizes two different convolution kernel point generation strategies, one cylindrical and one a spherical cone, for more efficient learning of point cloud data features. We propose a customizable Multi-Shape Neighborhood System (MSNS) to balance the relationship between these convolution kernel point generations. Experiments on the ISPRS benchmark dataset, LASDU dataset, and DFC2019 dataset demonstrate the validity of our method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal laminated composites are widely used in industrial and commercial applications due to their excellent overall performance. In this study, the copper/graphene-aluminum-copper/graphene (Cu/Gr-Al-Cu/Gr) laminated composites were prepared by ingenious hot pressing design. Raman, optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), van der Pauw (vdP), and X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD) were used to investigate the graphene status, interface bonding, diffusion layer thickness, electrical conductivity, Miller indices and secondary phases, respectively. The results demonstrate that the Cu-Al interfaces in the Cu/Gr-Al-Cu/Gr composites were free of pores, cracks and other defects and bonded well. The number of graphene layers was varied by regulating the thickness of the Cu/Gr layer, with the Cu/Gr foils fabricated by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The electrical conductivity of the composite was significantly improved by the induced high-quality interfaces Cu/Gr structure. The increased number of graphene layers is beneficial for enhancing the electrical conductivity of the Cu/Gr-Al-Cu/Gr composite, and the highest conductivity improved by 20.5% compared to that of raw Al. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in fire protection discipline has been sufficiently proved to be useful, but has encountered many barriers in China. Among which, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are considered sensitive to adoption costs and external funding support, play a critical role in the BIM adoption process in fire protection discipline. Therefore, identifying and analyzing the barriers of BIM application are essential to help small- and medium-sized fire protection enterprises to overcome these barriers. In this study, semantic analysis, which includes word frequency analysis and coword analysis, based on literature review was utilized to identify the main barriers. 20 main barriers, which were classified into software, people, organization, and environment group, were obtained. Then, Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) approach and Cross-Impact Matrix Multiplication Applied to Classification (MICMAC) analysis were utilized to hierarchically analyze and categorize the main barriers of BIM application in Chinese SMFEs. The findings revealed that the lack of external support and the lack of BIM laws and regulations applicable to fire protection discipline are the key barriers in general for the application of BIM in SMFEs. For the barriers at the enterprise level, through further analysis and discussion based on barriers in the people and organization clusters, the lack of funding support for proper BIM training and the lack of organization culture support were concluded as the key barriers of BIM application inside the scope of SMFEs. According to 80-20 principle, more effort should be focused on the key barriers to gain maximum management effect. The research result categorizes the barriers for easy intervention of fire protection enterprises' managers and policymakers. It contributes to the nascent studies of BIM application and provides guidance for the application of BIM in fire protection discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent glass-ceramics based on ZnO–Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 (ZAS) glass system exhibit excellent optical and mechanical properties that are dependent on crystal grains. Gahnite (ZnAl 2 O 4) was the main phase that crystallized in ZAS glass-ceramics via thermoelectric coupling treatment. The morphology and size of ZnAl 2 O 4 crystal were controlled by the electric field strength. Introduction of thermoelectric coupling field led to the refinement and dispersion of large and agglomerated ZnAl 2 O 4 crystal grains, which improved the transmission and Vickers' hardness of the ZAS-based glass-ceramics. Theoretical calculations revealed that crystal phase is the area of low electric field strength, which resulted in the migration of Zn ions (Zn2+) from glass phase to the ZnAl 2 O 4 crystal regions under the effect of thermoelectric coupling field. The decrease in the amount of Zn2+ in glass phase further limited its grain growth, and refinement of ZnAl 2 O 4 grains was achieved. This research shows an efficient and rapid approach to refine grains in ZAS glass-ceramics by application of thermoelectric coupling treatment. • In this work, it is the first time use of thermoelectric coupling field to precipitate ZnAl 2 O 4 nanocrystals in ZnO–Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 glass-ceramics. • The application of a thermoelectric coupling field was used to refine and uniformly distribute ZnAl 2 O 4 crystals in ZnO–Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 glass-ceramics. • The mechanism of a thermoelectric coupling field on crystal refinement is explained in detail, which provides ideas for the refinement and uniformly distribution of crystal grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are well-known regulators of cancer progression and chemoresistance in various types of cancers. This study was performed to investigate the function of hsa_circ_0000277 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).Methods: RNA levels were analyzed via the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was applied to determine cell proliferation and half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of cisplatin (DDP). Colony formation ability was evaluated by colony formation assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were measured using flow cytometry. RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), pull-down assay and dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed for target interaction analysis. The protein levels were determined through western blot. Xenograft models were established for researching hsa_circ_0000277 function in vivo.Results: Hsa_circ_0000277 expression was increased in ESCC cells and tissues, and it had important clinical significance. Downregulation of hsa_circ_0000277 repressed ESCC cell proliferation, colony formation, cell cycle, and DDP resistance. Hsa_circ_0000277 acted as a microRNA-873-5p (miR-873-5p) sponge and Sry-related high-mobility group box 4 (SOX4) was validated as a target of miR-873-5p. Moreover, hsa_circ_0000277/miR-873-5p axis and miR-873-5p/SOX4 axis regulated ESCC cell progression and DDP resistance. Hsa_circ_0000277/miR-873-5p axis activated SOX4/Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Hsa_circ_0000277 facilitated tumorigenesis and DDP resistance by miR-873-5p/SOX4 axis in vivo.Conclusion: These findings unraveled that hsa_circ_0000277 promoted ESCC progression and DDP resistance via miR-873-5p/SOX4/Wnt/β-catenin axis, showing a specific molecular mechanism of carcinogenesis and chemoresistance in ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are a variety of underlying factors influencing what and how people communicate in their daily life. The ability to capture and utilize these factors enables the conversational systems to generate favorable responses and set up amicable connections with users. In this work, we investigate two major factors in response generation, i.e., emotion and intention. To explore the dependency between them, we develop a hierarchical variational model that predicts in sequence the emotion and intention to be conveyed in a response. The response can then be generated word-by-word based on the predictions. We also apply a novel adversarial-augmented inference network to facilitate model training. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model as well as the novel adversarial objective. The hypothesis that emotion shapes human communication behavior is also validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Li 2 O–Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 (LAS) glass ceramics are prepared by one-step thermoelectric treatment. The influence of thermoelectric treatments on LAS glass-ceramics were studied. The crystal phase composition and microstructure of the LAS glass-ceramics were investigated by DSC, SEM, XRD and FTIR. Moreover, the thermal expansion performance and light transmittance of LAS nanocrystalline glass were characterized. The results show that low-expansion transparent LAS nanocrystalline glass can be produced in a short time by thermoelectric treatment. The free energy of nucleation and the degree of polymerization of the glass network are reduced by the electric field. The key is that the electric field polarizes Ti and Zr ions at the crystallization temperature, so that the crystal nuclei repel the same poles. This allows uniform crystal distribution, promotes crystallization and reduces one-step crystallization of crystal agglomeration. This proves that the rapid preparation of nanocrystalline glass by the one-step method is feasible, and provides a reference for the future one-step processing of glass-ceramics. • Thermoelectric treatment promotes crystallization in LAS nanocrystalline glass. • It eliminates crystal agglomeration in LAS nanocrystalline glass. • It can rapidly produce low-expansion transparent LAS nanocrystalline glass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep Neural Network (DNN)-based point cloud semantic segmentation has presented significant breakthrough using large-scale labeled aerial laser point cloud datasets. However, annotating such large-scaled point clouds is time-consuming. Self-Supervised Learning (SSL) is a promising approach to this problem by pre-training a DNN model utilizing unlabeled samples followed by a fine-tuned downstream task involving very limited labels. The traditional contrastive learning for point clouds selects the hardest negative samples by solely relying on the distance between the embedded features derived from the learning process, potentially evolving some negative samples from the same classes to reduce the contrastive learning effectiveness. This work proposes a hard-negative sample-aware self-supervised contrastive learning algorithm to pre-train the model for semantic segmentation. We designed a k-means clustering-based Absolute Positive And Negative samples (AbsPAN) strategy to filter the possible false-negative samples. Experiments on two typical ALS benchmark datasets demonstrate that the proposed method is more appealing than supervised training schemes without pre-training. Especially when the labels are severely inadequate (10% of the ISPRS training set), the results obtained by the proposed HAVANA method still exceed 94% of the supervised paradigm performance with full training set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Sharir and Solomon (2015), Sharir and Solomon showed that the number of incidences between m distinct points and n distinct lines in R 4 is (1) O ∗ m 2 ∕ 5 n 4 ∕ 5 + m 1 ∕ 2 n 1 ∕ 2 q 1 ∕ 4 + m 2 ∕ 3 n 1 ∕ 3 s 1 ∕ 3 + m + n , provided that no 2-flat contains more than s lines, and no hyperplane or quadric contains more than q lines, where the O ∗ hides a multiplicative factor of 2 c log m for some absolute constant c . In this paper we prove that, for integers m , n satisfying n 9 ∕ 8 < m < n 3 ∕ 2 , there exist m points and n lines on the quadratic hypersurface in R 4 { ( x 1 , x 2 , x 3 , x 4 ) ∈ R 4 ∣ x 1 = x 2 2 + x 3 2 − x 4 2 } , such that (i) at most s = O ( 1 ) lines lie on any 2-flat, (ii) at most q = O ( n ∕ m 1 ∕ 3 ) lines lie on any hyperplane, and (iii) the number of incidences between the points and the lines is Θ ( m 2 ∕ 3 n 1 ∕ 2 ) , which is asymptotically larger than the upper bound in (1) , when n 9 ∕ 8 < m < n 3 ∕ 2 . This shows that the assumption that no quadric contains more than q lines (in the above mentioned theorem of Sharir and Solomon (2015)) is necessary in this regime of m and n . By a suitable projection from this quadratic hypersurface onto R 3 , we obtain m points and n lines in R 3 , with at most s = O ( 1 ) lines on a common plane, such that the number of incidences between the m points and the n lines is Θ ( m 2 ∕ 3 n 1 ∕ 2 ) . It remains an interesting question to determine if this bound is also tight in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore whether the upper and/or middle mediastinal nodes (UMMN) should be dissected in Siewert type II adenocarcinoma (AC) according to the incidence of lymph node metastasis. Additionally, to investigate the association between the length of esophageal involvement (LEI) and the UMMN metastases. Methods: A cohort with Siewert type II AC who were operated on by a surgical team that routinely treated esophagogastric junction (EGJ) tumors with esophagectomy and extended lymphadenectomy were assessed retrospectively. The primary endpoint of the research was the metastasis rate of UMMN. Results: A total of 94 patients with EGJ tumor from July 2018 to September 2022 were enrolled. Station 106recR (6.4%, 6/94) was the only station among upper mediastinal nodes (UMN) that presented positive nodes. Middle mediastinal nodes (MMN) metastases of station 107, 109 and station 108 were 2.1% (2/94) and 5.0% (4/80), respectively. Among the 11 patients with MMN or UMN metastases, 63.6% (7/11) had lesser than seven metastatic nodes, and 54.5% (6/11) had a pathological N stage ≤2. LEI >3 cm (p = 0.042) showed a higher risk for MMN metastases in univariable logistic analysis. However, no independent risk factor for mediastinal node metastases was detected. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the incidence of positive MMN and UMN is relatively low in resectable Siewert type II AC, which indicated that it is not necessary to perform a routine dissection upon these stations. LEI >3 cm might be associated with higher risk for mediastinal node metastasis. Certain patients could benefit from extended lymphadenectomy since most of the patients with positive MMN or UMN have a limited number of metastatic nodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An improved multi-timescale coordinated control strategy is proposed to be used in an integrated energy system. • A hybrid energy storage system is introduced into the system. • Operating costs and carbon emissions are considered as the optimization objectives. • General rules for sizing hybrid energy storage system are proposed in this paper. In view of the complex energy coupling and fluctuation of renewable energy sources in the integrated energy system, this paper proposes an improved multi-timescale coordinated control strategy for an integrated energy system (IES) with a hybrid energy storage system (HESS). The power response characteristics of various devices in IES at different time scales are analyzed which shows that the multi-timescale coordinated control method can be well coupled with the IES including HESS. The advantages of HESS over single energy storage system in stabilizing power fluctuation and extending energy storage life are compared and analyzed while the control method of supercapacitor under multi-time scale coordinated control strategy is proposed. The primary energy consumption, operating costs, carbon dioxide emissions and load shedding costs are considered the optimization objectives in the day-ahead rolling optimization stage according to the day-ahead forecast renewable energy (RE) data. In the intraday rolling adjusting stage, the proposed method can reduce the effect of the RE day-ahead forecasting errors to achieve the intraday energy scheduling balance and ensure the safe operation of the devices of IES. Considering the background of IES with a high proportion of renewable energy, this paper makes innovative use of the advantages of HESS to improve the power response characteristic of the system. The high-frequency part of RE is balanced by HESS in the real-time coordinated control stage. A typical structure of IES is applied and the simulation results are analyzed to show the performance of the proposed method in this paper. Moreover, general rules for sizing of HESS are also proposed. The influence of the hybrid energy storage capacity allocation ratio on battery capacity loss and carbon emission reduction is discussed. The Pareto front including the configuration and cost of supercapacitor has been obtained. As shown in the case, the application of HESS in the IES can improve the power response characteristic, extend the lithium-ion battery (LiB) life and has more benefits in reducing carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we estimate the number of integers up to X which can be properly represented by a positive-definite, binary, integral quadratic form of small discriminant. This estimate follows from understanding the vector of signs that arises from computing the Legendre symbol of small integers n at multiple primes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to compare the feasibility of nab‐paclitaxel plus platinum‐based chemotherapy (nabTP) versus paclitaxel plus platinum‐based chemotherapy (TP) with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as a neoadjuvant modality for locally resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: Between April 2019 and March 2022, we identified ESCC patients who received neoadjuvant immunotherapy with both nabTP (n = 213) and TP (n = 98) at our institution and Henan Cancer Hospital. The patients in the ICIs‐nabTP and ICIs‐TP groups were pair‐matched (1:1) for tumor location, sex, smoking, drinking, clinical T and N stage. The primary endpoint was the hazard of 30‐day major postoperative complications. Second, logistic models were applied to estimate the risk factors for pathological complete response (pCR) rate. Results: All patients underwent esophagectomy with R0 resection. A statistically significant increase in the risk of developing major pulmonary (odds ratio [OR], 1.182; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.530–2.635; p = 0.683), anastomotic (OR, 1.881; 95% CI: 0.607–5.830; p = 0.267), cardiac (OR, 1.000; 95% CI: 0.426–2.349; p = 1.000) complications after neoadjuvant immunotherapy plus nabTP was not observed. The median interval to surgery was 39 days in the ICIs‐nabTP group versus 44 days in the ICIs‐TP group (p = 0.119). There was no 30‐day mortality in each group. However, there was a slight difference in the 30‐day readmission rate (p = 0.043) and the incidence of hydropneumothorax (p = 0.027) between the two groups. The pCR rates of the ICIs‐nabTP and ICIs‐TP group were 36.7 and 21.4%, respectively (p = 0.018). Conclusions: It appears to be feasible to add immunotherapy to nabTP regimen for locally advanced ESCC. Compared with TP, nabTP plus ICIs can achieve a better pCR rate in ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to investigate the value and efficiency of routine brain MRI or CT in the preoperative workup for patients with potentially resectable (cT1‐4aN0‐3) thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC). Methods: This was a prospective cross‐sectional clinical trial (ChiCTR1800020304). A total of 385 patients with potentially resectable (cT1‐4aN0‐3) thoracic ESCC diagnosed from October 2018 to August 2020 were included. Plain brain MRI or CT was performed preoperatively to detect brain metastases (BrM). The primary endpoint was BrM detected by imaging. Results: Of all 385 patients, the rate of positive brain MRI/CT findings was 1% (n = 4). BrM Patients received chemoradiotherapy, and the median OS was 6 months (95% CI: 4.303–7.697). All 381 remaining patients with initial negative brain MRI/CT diagnosis revealed no brain‐associated symptoms within 6 months. The median follow‐up for patients without BrM was 20 months (range, from 6 to 32). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of plain MRI or CT to detect BrM were all 100%. Conclusions: Preoperative plain MRI or CT is an effective method to detect BrM for potentially resectable (cT1‐4aN0‐3) thoracic ESCC. However, due to the low incidence, the value of brain MRI/CT as a routinely preoperational examination in potentially resectable esophageal squamous cell cancer is rather limited. Therefore, preoperative brain MRI/CT should not be recommended as a routine preoperative examination for ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This retrospective study aimed to explore risk factors for liver metastases (LiM) in patients with esophageal cancer (EC) and to identify prognostic factors in patients initially diagnosed with LiM. Methods: A total of 28 654 EC patients were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database from 2010 to 2018. A multivariate logistic regression model was utilized to identify risk factors for LiM. A Cox regression model was used to identify prognostic factors for patients with LiM. Results: Of 28 654 EC patients, 4062 (14.2%) had LiM at diagnosis. The median overall survival (OS) for patients with and without LiM was 6.00 (95% CI: 5.70–6.30) months and 15.00 (95% CI: 14.64–15.36) months, respectively. Variables significantly associated with LiM included gender, age, tumor site, histology, tumor grade, tumor size, clinical T stage, clinical N stage, bone metastases (BoM), brain metastases (BrM) and lung metastases (LuM). Variables independently predicting survival for EC patients with LiM were age, histology, tumor grade, BoM, BrM, LuM, and chemotherapy. A risk prediction model and two survival prediction models were then constructed revealing satisfactory predictive accuracy. Conclusions: Based on the largest known cohort of EC, independent predictors of LiM and prognostic indicators of survival for patients with LiM were identified. Two models for predicting survival as well as a risk prediction model were developed with robust predictive accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study investigated the risk factors for severe weight loss (SWL) within one year after minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy. Methods: Esophageal cancer patients who underwent McKeown esophagectomy between January and July 2017 were prospectively enrolled. Preoperative body weight (PBW) was chosen as the initial body weight. Results: Forty‐four patients were enrolled and successfully followed up for one year. Median weight loss was 7.4% (quartile: 5.3–8.1%) and 12.6% (quartile: 8.8–17.7%) four weeks and one year after surgery, respectively. Accelerated weight loss occurred during the first two weeks after discharge, with median weight loss of 5.6% (quartile: 4.2–7.1%). Multivariable analysis showed that age ≥ 70 years (odds ratio [OR] 7.65; P = 0.030), preoperative sarcopenia (OR 7.18; P = 0.030), the first surgery in the daily schedule (OR 6.87; P = 0.032) and vocal cord paralysis (OR 12.30; P = 0.046) were independent risk factors for short‐term (4 weeks) SWL (> 7.5% PBW), while an American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 3–4 (OR 6.58; P = 0.047), a high fat‐free mass (OR 21.91; P = 0.003), and vocal cord paralysis (OR 25.83; P = 0.017) were independent risk factors for long‐term (1 year) SWL (> 13.0% PBW) after esophagectomy. Postoperative symptoms of insomnia, appetite loss, dysphagia, eating difficulties, and taste issues were also related to SWL. Conclusions: In esophageal cancer patients who have undergone esophagectomy, the first two weeks after hospital discharge is a key period for nutrition intervention. Patients with associated factors for SWL require postoperative nutrition support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Regions where feed-in tariff higher than valley price should follow dual objective optimization. • The economy of the household PV-BES-EV system mainly depends on the purchase cost of EVs. • Decreasing electricity price will not undermine the effectiveness of the household PV-BES-EV system. • The energy bills and carbon emissions decrease significantly with the optimal scheduling schemes. The household PV-BES-EV system (photovoltaic - battery energy storage - electric vehicle system) connected to the grid can guarantee the electricity demand of the household and facilitate the flexible trade with the grid to achieve the goals of cutting energy bills and reducing carbon emissions. In related issues, past studies often assume that renewable energy is both economical and environmentally friendly, and thus regarded it as the primary power source. While in fact, in some regions where the feed-in tariff is higher than the sales price at a certain time, households may be driven by arbitrage opportunities to frequently purchase electricity from the grid at the certain time to gain benefits, resulting in far greater carbon emissions than expected within the household measurement boundary. To avoid the environmental burden caused by pure economic incentives and to provide practical and sustainable solutions consistent with various energy price policies, the optimal scheduling schemes of the household PV-BES-EV system that considers both economic and environmental incentives for different scenarios solved by the genetic algorithm is proposed in this paper. Household data in Shanghai, China and Hamburg, Germany were selected for modelling, representing the dual-objective optimization scenario with arbitrage opportunities and the single-objective optimization scenario with sales price higher than feed-in tariff, respectively. Results show that for urban and rural residents in Shanghai, the energy bill and carbon emission would decline about 105%, 48% and 88%, 62%, respectively. As for Hamburg, the accordingly results would be 69% and 64%. In addition, based on the cost-effectiveness of the system in long-term, this paper puts forward policy recommendations that align with local conditions to further improve the economy of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The objective of this study was to describe a cosmetic skin incision for resection of large anterior mediastinal masses, and to review our experience with this technique. Methods From 1999 to 2010, 55 patients with a diagnosis of large anterior mediastinal masses underwent 'goblet'-shaped skin incision with midline sternotomy. The complications, mortality, details of surgery, and duration of hospital stay were observed from review. Patients were monitored via follow-up for a duration of one year after surgery. Results The mean hospital stay was nine days. Wound complications of infection were observed in one patient. There were no other complications, such as hematoma formation, necrosis of skin flap, split or infection of the sternum. No related mortality was recorded within the 30-day postoperative period. All of the patients verbalized the benefits of this technique, particularly the possibility of wearing open-collared clothing, as a result of the cosmetic chest wall and a camouflaging scar below the angle of Louis. At the follow-up periods, 52 of the patients were found to be well. Three patients did not complete follow-up at our facility. Conclusion Our primary experience with this procedure proved it was safe. The technique allows excellent access to the mediastinum and complete removal of large anterior mediastinal masses that are complicated with adjacent midline cardiovascular structures. This technique also provides a better cosmetic result than the standard vertical incision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power systems optimization is generally subject to the compromise between performance and cost. The 2021 Texas grid outage illustrates the worldwide dangers for the regional-centralized power grid, with comparable advantages to safety and flexibility for the distributed energy system. The storage of household batteries helps balance grid load and increase system stability and flexibility. However, household storage battery is still not widely used today because of its high costs. Currently, research on increasing household battery storage applicability is focused largely on optimizing economic strategies, such as configuration, dispatching and subsidy policies, which rely substantially more on technologies and financial perspectives. Consumers are not 'rational' individuals, and non-economic incentives can affect their decisions without raising prices. This paper consequently proposes to encourage users to acquire household battery storage to increase efficiency of power dispatching and economic advantages based on behavioral economics. In this paper, an empirical research builds upon the utility model of behavioral economics incentives and purchase willingness. Moreover, the multi-objective genetic algorithm is utilized to optimize the dispatching of household battery storage by using grid variance and user revenues as optimizing goals. The results of this paper show that the behavioral economics incentive improves intention to buy the household battery energy storage by 10.7% without raising subsidies. By improving the energy dispatching strategy, peak-load shifting performance and user revenues are improved by 4.2% and 10.6%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]