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International students are a bridge between Chinese and foreign cultures, but they still face multiple dilemmas in Chinese cultural communication due to different cultural backgrounds and values. In this paper, we utilize the subsumption sorting algorithm to sort the amount of cultural communication of international students’ exchanges, which is dynamically switched by a combination of two methods: back-block forward interpolation and header exchange. The D-S monopolistic competition model is used to construct the theoretical model of international student exchange that affects China’s international cultural communication power. The CES utility function is used to construct China’s international cultural communication network, which calculates the total amount of communication culture of cross-cultural exchanges between international students. In the end, an analysis of 85 international student samples revealed a correlation between international student exchanges and China’s international cultural communication. The results show that the correlation coefficient between international student exchanges and China’s international cultural communication is 0.305 p > 0.05, indicating that international student exchanges have a positive promotion effect on China’s international cultural communication. This study examines the general law of international cultural communication, which is crucial in promoting Chinese culture worldwide.

With the rapid development of the times, my country has made good innovation and progress in the Internet of Things technology, which has brought a lot of technical guarantees for computer network security. In the process of computer network security analysis and research, it is necessary to introduce the Internet of Things technology. In this paper, the CNN-GRU-PSO network is used to optimize the information classification control. Compared with the traditional model method, the CNN-GRU-PSO model method improves the accuracy rate from the original 86.4% to the original 95.5%. Nearly 10%; the precision rate increased from 84.3% to the original 91.2%, and the accuracy rate increased to nearly 7%; the recall rate was increased from 86.4% to the original 93.5%, and the accuracy rate increased to nearly 9%. The CNNGRU-PSO model optimizes network security management and formulates strict prevention mechanisms to ensure that computer networks can operate efficiently and safely.

Mulberry leaf has potential in lipid-lowering. Here, we compared the chemical composition and lipid-lowering effects of different mulberry leaf-derived teas, and investigated their underlying gut microbiome-related mechanisms. The main components of mulberry leaf-derived tea were flavonoids, phenolic acids and alkaloids, with green tea (0.60% polyphenols, 3.35% polysaccharides, 0.20% DNJ) containing higher levels than black tea (0.40% polyphenols, 2.95% polysaccharides, 0.15% DNJ). Accordingly, the lipid-lowering efficacy of green tea was superior to that of black tea in high-fat (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemic mice. Black tea increased 2 genera and 130 metabolites, decreased 6 genera and 90 metabolites, while green tea increased 5 genera and 127 metabolites, decreased 15 genera and 64 metabolites. Correlation analysis showed that the alterations of gut microbiota and metabolic profiles caused by mulberry leaf tea were tightly associated with its lipid-lowering effect. Altogether, this study provided a promising functional food targeting gut microbiota for the management of lipid metabolism.

Nano-based drug delivery systems are increasingly used for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of several diseases, thanks to several beneficial properties, including the ability to target specific cells or organs, allowing to reduce treatment costs and side effects frequently associated with chemotherapeutic medications, thereby improving treatment compliance of patients. In the field of communicable diseases, especially those caused by intracellular bacteria, the delivery of antibiotics targeting specific cells is of critical importance to maximize their treatment efficacy. Brucella melitensis, an intracellular obligate bacterium surviving and replicating inside macrophages is hard to be eradicated, mainly because of the low ability of antibiotics to enter these phagocityc cells . Although different antibiotics regimens including gentamicin, doxycycline and rifampicin are in fact used against the Brucellosis, no efficient treatment has been attained yet, due to the intracellular life of the respective pathogen. Nano-medicines responding to environmental stimuli allow to maximize drug delivery targeting macropages, thereby boosting treatment efficacy. Several drug delivery nano-technologies, including solid lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, chitosan, niosomes, and their combinations with chitosan sodium alginate can be employed in combination of antibiotics to successfully eradicate Brucellosis infection from patients.

Purpose Schizophrenia (SCH) is a severe psychiatric disorder associated with brain connectivity abnormalities, and early diagnosis can significantly reduce the burden on the families of the patients. Though several classification methods have been created to identify SCH, a reliable method is yet to be found. In this study, we explore the performance of multidimensional spatial feature fusion in the recognition of SCH. Materials and methods Using an MRI connectomes dataset, we extract the spatial pattern network (SPN) and diffusion map embedding (DME) features from functional connectivity (FC) and structural connectivity (SC) networks of both schizophrenic patients and healthy subjects, and we use both single mode features and fused features to classify the two groups. Results Compared to the single mode features, the fused features showed superior performance in classification. By fusing the SPN and DME features of the structural network, we obtained the highest accuracy of 87.50%. Conclusions Multidimensional spatial feature fusion is promising as a reliable method for the recognition of SCH.

Abstract Background Carotid atherosclerosis (CAS), an important factor in the development of stroke, is a major public health concern. The aim of this study was to establish and validate machine learning (ML) models for early screening of CAS using routine health check-up indicators in northeast China. Methods A total of 69,601 health check-up records from the health examination center of the First Hospital of China Medical University (Shenyang, China) were collected between 2018 and 2019. For the 2019 records, 80% were assigned to the training set and 20% to the testing set. The 2018 records were used as the external validation dataset. Ten ML algorithms, including decision tree (DT), K-nearest neighbors (KNN), logistic regression (LR), naive Bayes (NB), random forest (RF), multiplayer perceptron (MLP), extreme gradient boosting machine (XGB), gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT), linear support vector machine (SVM-linear), and non-linear support vector machine (SVM-nonlinear), were used to construct CAS screening models. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (auROC) and precision-recall curve (auPR) were used as measures of model performance. The SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method was used to demonstrate the interpretability of the optimal model. Results A total of 6315 records of patients undergoing carotid ultrasonography were collected; of these, 1632, 407, and 1141 patients were diagnosed with CAS in the training, internal validation, and external validation datasets, respectively. The GBDT model achieved the highest performance metrics with auROC of 0.860 (95% CI 0.839–0.880) in the internal validation dataset and 0.851 (95% CI 0.837–0.863) in the external validation dataset. Individuals with diabetes or those over 65 years of age showed low negative predictive value. In the interpretability analysis, age was the most important factor influencing the performance of the GBDT model, followed by sex and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Conclusions The ML models developed could provide good performance for CAS identification using routine health check-up indicators and could hopefully be applied in scenarios without ethnic and geographic heterogeneity for CAS prevention.

In order to develop lithium-ion batteries with high energy density, prelithium technology has attracted extensive attention. Li5FeO4was successfully prepared by molten salt method with LiNO3-LiOH mixed lithium salt as reaction medium and lithium source, and nano Fe2O3 as iron source in this work. Li5FeO4 as cathode prelithiation additive is applied to lithium-ion batteries. The synthesis conditions of Li5FeO4 were optimized by orthogonal experiment, and the effect of synthesis conditions on the electrochemical properties of the material was discussed. Li5FeO4 was added to the surface of LiFePO4 positive electrode and assembled with graphite negative electrode to form a full cell. Its effect on the electrochemical performance of the full cells and the mechanism of reducing the initial capacity loss of lithium-ion batteries were studied. The results show that Li5FeO4 cathode prelithiation additives with high purity, small particle size and outstanding electrochemical performance can be prepared by molten salt method. When Li5FeO4 with a mass fraction of 2.8%(based on the percentage of active materials mass) was added, the discharge specific capacity of first cycle for the LiFePO4/graphite full cell was 150 mAh·g-1 at 0.05 C, which was 8.5% higher than that without adding, after 100 cycles at 0.2 C. the capacity still increased by 7.1%, and the irreversible capacity of the svstem was restored.

Objectives: As the genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 continuously pose threats to global health, evaluating superspreading potentials of emerging genetic variants is of importance for region-wide control of COVID-19 outbreaks. Methods: By using detailed epidemiological contact tracing data of test-positive COVID-19 cases collected between July and August 2021 in Nanjing and Yangzhou, China, we assessed the superspreading potential of outbreaks seeded by SARS-CoV-2 Delta variants. The transmission chains and case-clusters were constructed according to the individual-based surveillance data. We modelled the disease transmission as a classic branching process with transmission heterogeneity governed by negative binomial models. Subgroup analysis was conducted by different contact settings and age groups. Results: We reported a considerable heterogeneity in the contact patterns and transmissibility of Delta variants in eastern China. We estimated an expected 14% (95% CI: 11–16%) of the most infectious cases generated 80% of the total transmission. Conclusions: Delta variants demonstrated a significant potential of superspreading under strict control measures and active COVID-19 detecting efforts. Enhancing the surveillance on disease transmissibility especially in high-risk settings, along with rapid contact tracing and case isolations would be one of the key factors to mitigate the epidemic caused by the emerging genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2.

Abstract Background Lifestyle changes are important for the prevention and management of metabolic syndrome (MetS), but studies that focus on gender differences in the lifestyle risk factors of MetS are limited in China. This research aimed to generate a healthy lifestyle index (HLI) to assess the behavioral risk factors of MetS and its components, and to explore the gender differences in HLI score and other influencing factors of MetS. Methods A convenience sample of 532 outpatients were recruited from a general hospital in Changsha, China. The general information and HLI scores [including physical activity (PA), diet, smoking, alcohol use, and body mass index (BMI)] of the subjects were collected through questionnaires, and each patient’s height, weight, waist circumference, and other physical signs were measured. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors of MetS and its components. Results The prevalence of MetS was 33.3% for the whole sample (46.3% in males and 23.3% in females). The risk of MetS increased with age, smoking, unhealthy diet, and BMI in males and with age and BMI in females. Our logistic regression analysis showed that lower HLI (male: OR = 0.838,95%CI = 0.757–0.929; female: OR = 0.752, 95%CI = 0.645–0.876) and older age (male: OR = 2.899, 95%CI = 1.446–5.812; female: OR = 4.430, 95%CI = 1.640–11.969) were independent risk factors of MetS, for both sexes. Conclusion Low levels of HLI and older ages were independent risk factors of MetS in both males and females. The association between aging and MetS risk was stronger in females, while the association between unhealthy lifestyles and MetS risk was stronger in males. Our findings reinforced the expected gender differences in MetS prevalence and its risk factors, which has implications for the future development of gender-specific MetS prevention and intervention programs.

Cold rolling and heat treatment experiments of GH4169 alloy with different deformation were carried out. Effect of different cold rolling deformation and heat treatment state on microstructure and hardness of plate was analyzed. Cold rolling experimental results show that dislocation density is increased, dislocations are cross slipped, deformation texture are enhanced, twins boundaries are decreased and hardness is improved with the increasing of deformation. Different heat treatment experimental results show that when the cold rolling deformation within 0%-20%, after 980 ℃×10 min solution treatment, the recrystallization is incepted, grains are refined, deformed grains and dislocation are remained in the plate. When the deformation within 0%-20%, deformed grains are remained and recrystallized grain size is refined with the increasing of deformation, thus the hardness of solution treated plate is increased with the increasing of deformation. The recrystallization finished and work hardening is eliminated,thus the hardness of solution treated plate decline to undeformed level and remains unchanged when the deformation larger than 25%. The γ' and γ'' phases are precipitated in the plate after aging heat treatment, and the hardness of the plate is significantly higher than that of the cold rolled and solid solution treatment states, and the hardness is basically not affected by the deformation amount of cold rolling. The threshold value of cold rolling deformation for recrystallization inception of GH4169 alloy is within 5%-10% during 980 ℃ solution treatment. And the cold rolling deformation threshold value of complete recrystallization is about 25%. According to actual production condition, the optimal cold rolling deformation is larger than 25%, and the matched solution treatment is 980 ℃×10 min.

Background: Although the COVID-19 pandemic has persisted for more than two years with the evident excess mortality from diabetes, few studies have investigated its temporal patterns. This study aims to estimate the excess deaths from diabetes in the United States (US) during the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluate the excess deaths by spatiotemporal pattern, age groups, sex, and race/ethnicity. Methods: Diabetes as one of multiple causes of death or an underlying cause of death were both considered into analyses. The Poisson log-linear regression model was used to estimate weekly expected counts of deaths during the pandemic with adjustments for long-term trend and seasonality. Excess deaths were measured by the difference between observed and expected death counts, including weekly average excess deaths, excess death rate, and excess risk. We calculated the excess estimates by pandemic wave, US state, and demographic characteristic. Results: From March 2020 to March 2022, deaths that diabetes as one of multiple causes of death and an underlying cause of death were about 47.6 % and 18.4 % higher than the expected. The excess deaths of diabetes had evident temporal patterns with two large percentage increases observed during March 2020, to June 2020, and June 2021 to November 2021. The regional heterogeneity and underlying age and racial/ethnic disparities of the excess deaths were also clearly observed. Conclusions: This study highlighted the increased risks of diabetes mortality, heterogeneous spatiotemporal patterns, and associated demographic disparities during the pandemic. Practical actions are warranted to monitor disease progression, and lessen health disparities in patients with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Breast cancer, an unceasingly occurring neoplasm, is one of the major determinants of mortality in women. Several ineffective attempts have been pursued using with conventional therapies against breast cancer. Resistance to existing therapies and their respective debilitating adverse effects have led research toward a new era of cancer treatment using viruses. Virotherapy constitutes a developing treatment modality with multiple mechanisms of therapeutic activity in which the viruses can be directly oncolyticand can express transgenes or induce host immune response against tumor cells. Several different DNA- and RNA-containing viruses have been considered for virotherapy of breast cancer including adenovirus, herpes virus, vaccinia, reovirus, Newcastle Disease virus, measles virus and vesicular stomatitis virus. This review aims to summarize the viro-therapeutical agents against breast malignancies. Key Scientific Concepts of Review: In this review paper, we proposed a new strategy to virus's combinatorial treatments using several kinds of transgenes and drugs. These recombinant viruses have provided evidence of treatment efficacy against human breast cancer.

Abstract Background The ability to walk is crucial for maintaining independence and a high quality of life among older adults. Although gait characteristics have been extensively studied in older adults, most studies have investigated muscle activity in the joints of the trunk or the lower limbs without assessing their interactions. Thus, the causes of altered trunk and lower limb movement patterns in older adults remain to explore. Therefore, this study compared the joint kinematic parameters of both trunk and lower limbs between young and older adults to identify kinematic factors associated with changes in gait among older adults. Methods In total, 64 older (32 males, aged 68.34 ± 7.38 years; 32 females, aged 67.16 ± 6.66 years) and 64 young (32 males, aged 19.44 ± 0.84 years; 32 females, aged 19.69 ± 0.86 years) healthy adults participated in this study. The range of motion (ROM) of the thorax, pelvis, and trunk in the horizontal plane and of the hip, knee, and ankle joints of the lower limbs in the sagittal plane were measured using a motion capture system with wearable sensors. Two-way analysis of variance assessed differences in ROM by group, sex, and spatio-temporal gait parameters; Pearson correlation analysis assessed the correlation of the trunk and lower limbs. Results Step length, gait speed, and stride length were greater in young adults (p

Involute tooth profile contains a lot of waviness information. Digging and expanding the application of waviness information to establish its relationship with gear transmission performance has important engineering value. Studying the construction principle of equation of the involute with waviness is to fit the waviness curve based on the measured teeth surfaces data. The involute tooth profiles with different sine waviness are constructed. Based on the meshing principle, the correlation of wavelength, amplitude, phase of waviness and transmission error is analyzed in the time domain and frequency domain, and verified by actual tooth surface data. The finite element model of involute tooth surface with waviness is established, and the correlation between wavelength, amplitude, phase of waviness and contact stress in gear transmission is simulated and analyzed. The gear transmission error test is carried out to verify the correctness of the calculation of transmission error. The results show that the fluctuation amplitude of transmission error is sensitive to the amplitude change of tooth profile waviness; the periodicity of tooth profile waviness is related to the order component of transmission error; with the increase of the number of waviness fluctuation periods, the order amplitude of the corresponding multiple of the number of teeth increases significantly; the magnitude of tooth surface contact stress is mainly affected by the amplitude of profile waviness. Thus the waviness information of gear measurement results between macro and micro quantities is extended and applied, and the research provides a basis for predicting transmission performance based on waviness information.

Abstract Aim The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) procedure has been performed in China for 30 years, but our understanding of the status and difficulties associated with the use of TIPS for portal hypertension is incomplete. This study aims to investigate the current situation of the use of TIPS for portal hypertension, which should aid the development of TIPS in China. Methods This study involved a questionnaire survey, initiated by the China Portal Hypertension Alliance (CHESS) to investigate the use of TIPS for portal hypertension in China. Questionnaires were released on the Internet between August 16, 2022 and September 16, 2022. Detailed information was collected from 545 hospitals contracted by the CHESS in China, which performed TIPS surgery in 2021. Results The 545 hospitals covers the majority of hospitals in China that conduct TIPS intervention. In the survey, a total of 13,527 TIPS interventions were carried out with 94.1% (498/545) of them had a system of routine follow‐up after TIPS. The majority (42.6% [232/545]) believed that the main indication of TIPS was the control of acute bleeding. Overall, 48.1% (262/545) carried out early or pre‐emptive TIPS, 53.0% (289/545) carried out TIPS for cavernous transformation of the portal vein, and 81.0% (441/545) chose routine embolization of collateral circulation during operation. Most used coils (97.0% [475/490]) and biological glue (72.0% [353/490]) as embolic materials, and 78.5% (428/545) routinely performed intraoperative portal pressure gradient measurements. When selecting TIPS stents, 57.1% (311/545) chose viator‐specific stents, and 57.2% (312/545) chose conventional anticoagulation after TIPS. Conventional anticoagulation after TIPS is over a time interval of 3–6 months (55.4% [173/312]). The limitation of TIPS surgery is mainly its cost (72.3% [394/545]) and insufficient understanding of the procedure by doctors in other related departments (77.4% [422/545]). Most of the hospital teams accept the use of domestic instruments in TIPS surgery (92.7% [505/545]). Conclusions This survey shows that TIPS is an essential part of the treatment of portal hypertension in China. TIPS is widely used in Chinese patients with portal hypertension, and this survey presents a more comprehensive picture of the options and difficulties encountered in the implementation of TIPS. In the future, it is necessary to promote TIPS technology and further standardize surgical indications, routine operations, and instrument application.

Abstract Background The high immune evasion ability of SARS-COV-2 Omicron variant surprised the world and appears to be far stronger than any previous variant. Previous to Omicron it has been difficult to assess and compare immune evasion ability of different variants, including the Beta and Delta variants, because of the relatively small numbers of reinfections and because of the problems in correctly identifying reinfections in the population. This has led to different claims appearing in the literature. Thus we find claims of both high and low immune evasion for the Beta variant. Some findings have suggested that the Beta variant has a higher immune evasion ability than the Delta variant in South Africa, and others that it has a lower ability. Method In this brief report, we re-analyse a unique dataset of variant-specific reinfection data and a simple model to correct for the infection attack rates of different variants. Result We find that a model with the Delta variant having an equal or higher immune evasion ability than Beta variant is compatible with the data. Conclusion We conclude that the immune evasion ability of Beta variant is not stronger than Delta variant, and indeed, the immune evasion abilities of both variants are weak in South Africa.

Virus evolution is a common process of pathogen adaption to host population and environment. Frequently, a small but important fraction of virus mutations are reported to contribute to higher risks of host infection, which is one of the major determinants of infectious diseases outbreaks at population scale. The key mutations contributing to transmission advantage of a genetic variant often grow and reach fixation rapidly. Based on classic epidemiology theories of disease transmission, we proposed a mechanistic explanation of the process that between-host transmission advantage may shape the observed logistic curve of the mutation proportion in population. The logistic growth of mutation is further generalized by incorporating time-varying selective pressure to account for impacts of external factors on pathogen adaptiveness. The proposed model is implemented in real-world data of COVID-19 to capture the emerging trends and changing dynamics of the B.1.1.7 strains of SARS-CoV-2 in England. The model characterizes and establishes the underlying theoretical mechanism that shapes the logistic growth of mutation in population.

C21H22N2O7S2Mn, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 14.544(6) Å, b = 9.636(4) Å, c = 17.087(7) Å, β = 96.664(6)° $96.664(6){}^{\circ}$ , V = 2378.5(17) Å3, Z = 4, Rgt ${R}_{\mathit{g}\mathit{t}}$ (F) = 0.0349, wRref $w{R}_{\mathit{r}\mathit{e}\mathit{f}}$ (F 2) = 0.1036, T = 273.15 K.

C18H19BrN2NiO8, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a = 16.7861(4) Å, b = 7.0732(2) Å, c = 17.1041(4) Å, β = 102.674(2)° $102.674(2){}^{\circ}$ , V = 1981.31(9) Å3, Z = 4, R gt(F) = 0.0340, wR ref(F 2) = 0.0670, T = 293(2) K.

A polarization-insensitive thermo-optic switch is proposed and demonstrated on the silicon-on-insulator platform with a 220 nm silicon core layer. The present device is based on the Mach–Zehnder interferometer structure, consisting of polarization-insensitive power splitters and polarization-insensitive phase shifters (PIPSs). The polarization-insensitive power splitter has been realized by employing an adiabatic directional coupler, which utilizes the fast adiabatic mode evolution by introducing cubic Bézier curves on outer contours, providing broadband 3-dB power splitting for TE and TM polarization modes with only 70 µm coupling length. For the novel PIPSs, the ridge waveguide with large aspect ratio, based on the mode hybridness property, could obtain the same power consumption (Pπ) for an optical switch working at TE and TM polarizations. Experimental results indicate that the measured insertion losses are less than 2 dB and the extinction ratios are larger than 15 dB over a 40 nm wavelength band (covering the C-band).

Terahertz detection technology has been confronted with formidable impediments, notably the paucity of sensitivity and operating temperature for photodetectors based on traditional bulk materials. In an attempt to surmount the difficulties, we propose an innovative terahertz detector based on a PtSe2 (type-II Dirac semimetallic material) integrated asymmetric antenna structure that can enhance the terahertz photoresponse by capitalizing on meticulous fabrication procedures. Experimental outcomes demonstrate the remarkable characteristics of the photodetector in the terahertz band, encompassing fast response time (7 µs), large responsivity (3.267 A/W), and low noise equivalent power (3.96 pW/Hz0.5). These accomplishments can be ascribed to the incorporation of the asymmetric metal contact of the four-leaf clover antenna structure and the excellent thermoelectric characteristics of PtSe2. This pioneering investigation consequently unveils a novel methodology for the creation of proficient PtSe2-based terahertz detectors and serves as a catalyst for the promotion of applications and further research within the terahertz sphere.

Pathological features of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) include alterations in the structure and function of neurons as well as of myelin sheaths. Accumulated evidence shows that aerobic type of exercise can enhance neuroplasticity in mouse models of AD. However, whether and how aerobic exercise can affect myelin sheath repair and neuroprotection in the AD models remains unclear. In this study we tested the hypotheses that 1) myelin structural alterations in 3xTg-AD mice would be related to abnormalities in oligodendrocyte lineage cells, resulting in impaired learning and memory, and 2) a 6-month aerobic exercise intervention would have beneficial effects on such alterations. Two-month-old male 3xTg-AD mice were randomly assigned to a control (AC) or an exercise (AE) group, and age-matched male C57BL/6;129 mice were also randomly assigned to a normal control (NC) or an exercise (NE) group, with n = 12 in each group. Mice in the exercise groups were trained on a motor-drive treadmill, 60 min per day, 5 days per week for 6 months. Cognitive function was assessed at the end of the intervention period. Then, brain specimens were obtained for assessments of morphological and oligodendrocyte lineage cell changes. The results of electron microscopy showed that myelin ultrastructure demonstrated a higher percentage of loose and granulated myelin sheath around axons in the temporal lobe in the AC, as compared with the NC group, along with greater cognitive dysfunction at 8-months of age. These differences were accompanied by significantly greater myelin basic protein (MBP) expression and less neuron-glial antigen-2 (NG2) protein and mRNA levels in the AC, compared to the NC. However, there were no significant between-group differences in the G-ratio (the ratio of axon diameter to axon plus myelin sheath diameter) and 2′,3′-cyclic-nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase (CNPase) protein and mRNA levels. The aerobic exercise ameliorated cognitive deterioration and appeared to keep components of myelin sheath and oligodendrocyte precursor cells stabilized, resulting in a decrease in the percentage of loose and granulated myelin sheath and MBP protein, and an increase in NG2 protein and mRNA levels in the AE group. Therefore, the 6-month exercise intervention demonstrated beneficial effects on myelin lesions, abnormal differentiation of oligodendrocytes and general brain function in the 3xTg-AD mice, providing further insights into the role of aerobic exercise in management of neurodegeneration in AD by maintaining intact myelination.

Birth weight is an indicator linking intrauterine environmental exposures to later-life diseases, and intrauterine metal exposure may affect birth weight in a sex-specific manner. We investigated sex-specific associations between prenatal exposure to metal mixtures and birth weight in a Chinese birth cohort. The birth weight of 1296 boys and 1098 girls were recorded, and 10 metals in maternal urine samples collected during pregnancy were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression was used to estimate the association of individual metals or metal mixtures and birth weight for gestational age (BW for GA). The model showed a sex-specific relationship between prenatal exposure to metal mixtures and BW for GA with a significant negative association in girls and a non-significant positive association in boys. Cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni) were positively and negatively associated with BW for GA in girls, respectively. Moreover, increasing thallium (Tl) concentration lowered the positive association between Cd and BW for GA and enhanced the negative association between Ni and BW for GA in girls. When exposure to other metals increased, the positive association with Cd diminished, whereas the negative association with Ni or Tl increased. Our findings provide evidence supporting the complex effects of intrauterine exposure to metal mixtures on the birth weight of girls and further highlight the sex heterogeneity in fetal development influenced by intrauterine environmental factors.

Patient-reported outcome (PRO) refers to any information about the patient's own health condition, functional status, and feelings about treatment that directly comes from the patient without interpretation by physicians, nurses or anyone else. Measuring outcomes from the patient perspective is conducive to improving the quality of medical services and treatment satisfaction. We summarized recent applications of PRO in many fields, such as drug review and approval, drug and medical equipment supervision, quality evaluation of medical services, health technology assessment, and comprehensive clinical evaluation of drugs, and reviewed the latest advances in research on PRO, such as the development of PRO instruments, the construction of a health state utility value set, the health measurement in children and adolescents, and the quality evaluation of PRO instruments. Then we put forward recommendations to further promote the studies and use of PRO in China: strengthening the development of PRO instruments applicable to China, valuing the use of PRO in clinical practice, enhancing the interdisciplinary research on PRO, broadening the profile of research on PRO, and intensifying relevant research.

This trial aimed to compare the outcomes of drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) with CalliSpheres® microspheres (CSM) and conventional transarterial chemoembolization cTACE in the treatment of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

BACKGROUND With the analytical technique development, the precision of Si isotopes analysis increases rapidly.Silicon isotopes are widely used in geochemistry, cosmochemistry, environmental chemistry and so on, and can be used to trace the circulation of crust-mantle material, the source of subducting fluid, and constrain the origin and evolution of the moon and extraterrestrial materials.To compare the precision and accuracy of Si isotope analysis results in different laboratories, it is necessary to analyze Si isotopes of reference materials with published Si isotope data.As generally used USGS reference materials are currently unavailable, it is important to report Si isotopes of new reference materials. OBJECTIVES In order to continuously conduct research in various fields with high-precision silicon isotope data, by providing a supply of new reference materials.Silicon isotopes of 30 GBW reference materials with different compositions, including 11 igneous rocks, 2 sedimentary rocks, 2 metamorphic rocks, 6 river/marine sediments and 9 soils, were analyzed.The SiO2 content of these reference materials ranged from 32.69% to 90.36%, covering the variation range of most natural samples. METHODS Alkali fusion method was used for sample digestion.Approximately 3-5mg of sample powder and 200mg of powdery NaOH were weighed in a 10mL silver crucible and heated.The Si purification was obtained using cation exchange resin AG50W-X12.6mol/L HNO3 and ultrapure water were used to clean the resin before sample loading.Silicon isotopes were measured by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS, Neptune Plus) at the laboratory in the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), and the instrument mass bias was corrected by standard-sample-standard method, with a bracketing standard of NBS-28.The long-term reproducibility (over two years) of Si isotope analysis of one in-house standard (USTC-Si) and one international rock reference material (BHVO-2) were represented, with the δ30Si values of USTC-Si and BHVO-2 of-0.07‰±0.06‰(n=117, 2SD) and-0.29‰±0.06‰(n=320, 2SD), respectively.During Si isotope analysis, two rock reference materials BHVO-2 and AGV-2 were also analyzed to ensure the precision and accuracy of the data.The Si isotopic compositions of BHVO-2 and AGV-2 were consistent with the reported data in the previous literature (Figure 3), demonstrating the reliability of this measurement. RESULTS Except one sediment and two soil samples, the δ30Si values of most reference materials analyzed in this study range from-0.42‰ to-0.07‰, within the range of upper continental crust.The drainage sediment GBW07310 has the highest δ30Si value (0.85‰±0.01‰), while the yellow-red soil GBW07405 and the latosol GBW07407 have the lowest δ30Si values of-0.68‰±0.03‰ and-1.82‰±0.03‰, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The high-precision Si isotope data of 30 GBW reference materials helps replenish the database for Si isotope analysis.The Si isotope data of these standard materials show that the river sediment GBW07310 has a very high δ30Si value of-1.82‰±0.03‰, indicating that it may be formed by dissolved silicon precipitation, which are enriched in heavy Si isotopes; while highly weathered yellow-red soil GBW07405 and the latosol GBW07407 have the lowest δ30Si values of-0.68‰±0.03‰ and-1.82‰±0.03‰, respectively, indicating that the weathering and desiliconization process may lead to the loss of heavy Si isotopes.The δ30Si values of most remaining reference materials analyzed in this study vary from-0.42‰ to-0.07‰, within the variation range of the upper continental crust.There is no obvious correlation between δ30Si values and SiO2 contents of the 11 igneous rock reference materials, revealing that their Si isotopes were not controlled by partial melting or mineral crystallization processes, and there may be other processes which would affect the Si isotopic composition of these standards.In the case that generally used USGS reference materials have been sold out, these high-precision Si isotope data of GBW reference materials will supplement basic data for Si isotope testing in different laboratories and lay solid isotope research in various fields.

In order to effectively evaluate the grinding performance of CBN（Cubic Boron Nitride） grinding wheel in the grinding process, a monitoring method of CBN grinding wheel performance was proposed based on Shannon entropy theory and acoustic emission signal. Firstly, the acoustic emission signal of CBN grinding wheel was collected by an acoustic emission sensor. Then, the probability density and distribution of acoustic emission signal of CBN grinding wheel was estimated by using the maximum information entropy. In addition, the characteristics of acoustic emission signals of CBN grinding wheel during cyclic grinding after dressing and residual grinding with different diameters were analyzed and discussed. Subsequently, the relationship between the maximum entropy probability density distribution of acoustic emission signals and the different grinding performance of CBN grinding wheel was established according to the cross entropy principle. Finally, a large number of experiments verified the availability above mentioned estimation method. The CBN grinding wheel wear status and the remaining life of CBN grinding wheel can be monitored.

With the large-scale integration of distributed new energy sources into power grids and the wide application of power electronics， the power grid’s risk of oscillation has reached epidemic proportions and is resolving into broadband domain oscillation. Given the lack of effective means to monitor the broadband domain characteristics of the power grid on the dispatching side， a grid-oriented broadband monitoring system is developed. First， the hardware and software architectures of the system are introduced， and a broadband monitoring model is designed based on two mainstream extended versions of harmonic communication specifications. Then， a unified broadband data acquisition architecture and a unified broadband data service technology are proposed. Functional modules such as harmonic/interharmonic overrun alarm， historic broadband data query， and broadband oscillation alarm forwarding are developed to realize distributed acquisition， centralized monitoring， and analysis of high-capacity and high-rate broadband signals. Finally， it is shown through engineering practice that the broadband monitoring system provides powerful data support for dynamic monitoring， risk identification， prevention， and control in the more broadband domains in power grids.

Flexible energy storage devices are at the forefront of next-generation power supplies, one of the most important components of which is the gel electrolyte. The dual network gel electrolyte for PAM/P123 zinc ion batteries was prepared by free radical polymerization. It was found that the addition of a small amount of triblock copolymer P123 can macroscopically improve the tensile strength, toughness and compressive strength of the gel electrolyte. Microscopically, the gel skeleton forms 0.6 μm mesopores and increases the surface pore distribution density, thereby improving the wettability of the electrolyte. The PAM/P123 series electrolytes not only have a high average swelling rate, but also have a higher conductivity than pure PAM electrolyte in the range of -30℃ to 65℃. Among which, PAM/P123-2 is a series of electrolytes with the best performance, with an average swelling rate of 1920.79%, and the conductivity at 0℃ is 36.2 mS·cm-1.The Zn/MnO2 battery prepared by using PAM/P123-2 gel electrolyte is stable during cycling at 0℃, with the capacity retention rate reaching 82.39% after 1000 cycles.

Temporal logic can ensure the accurate description and execution of task specifications by providing a rich specification language. This paper uses relevant robust semantics to consider continuous-time systems under signal temporal logic specification fragments and uses a funnel-based feedback control law to realize collaborative design of path planning and control of wheeled mobile robot. This design not only introduces a strict and effective formal verification method, but also provides a computationally-efficient funnel-based feedback control law. Firstly, it describes the mission by signal temporal logic. Then, it transforms the description into robust formula. Finally, using the funnel-based feedback control law, it makes the robust semantics of the robust formula maximum to realize the collaborative design of path planning and control. Simulation is based on the wheeled mobile robot kinematics model, and the results show that the collaborative design method proposed in this paper is effective. When the specification is physically met, the system can achieve the goal with user-defined robustness. When the specification is not satisfied, the minimum violation solution can be found. The proposed path planning and funnel control algorithm can realize the collaborative design of the path planning and control of the wheeled mobile robot, which effectively improve computing efficiency and simplify computational complexity. The study can expand the application range of signal temporal logic in mobile robot path planning, and increase the system robustness.

Abstract Background Superspreading events (SSEs) played a critical role in fueling the COVID-19 outbreaks. Although it is well-known that COVID-19 epidemics exhibited substantial superspreading potential, little is known about the risk of observing SSEs in different contact settings. In this study, we aimed to assess the potential of superspreading in different contact settings in Japan. Method Transmission cluster data from Japan was collected between January and July 2020. Infector-infectee transmission pairs were constructed based on the contact tracing history. We fitted the data to negative binomial models to estimate the effective reproduction number (R) and dispersion parameter (k). Other epidemiological issues relating to the superspreading potential were also calculated. Results The overall estimated R and k are 0.561 (95% CrI: 0.496, 0.640) and 0.221 (95% CrI: 0.186, 0.262), respectively. The transmission in community, healthcare facilities and school manifest relatively higher superspreading potentials, compared to other contact settings. We inferred that 13.14% (95% CrI: 11.55%, 14.87%) of the most infectious cases generated 80% of the total transmission events. The probabilities of observing superspreading events for entire population and community, household, health care facilities, school, workplace contact settings are 1.75% (95% CrI: 1.57%, 1.99%), 0.49% (95% CrI: 0.22%, 1.18%), 0.07% (95% CrI: 0.06%, 0.08%), 0.67% (95% CrI: 0.31%, 1.21%), 0.33% (95% CrI: 0.13%, 0.94%), 0.32% (95% CrI: 0.21%, 0.60%), respectively. Conclusion The different potentials of superspreading in contact settings highlighted the need to continuously monitoring the transmissibility accompanied with the dispersion parameter, to timely identify high risk settings favoring the occurrence of SSEs.

In this paper, cyclone separator is proposed for the first time to separate particles according to density, and it is applied to the recovery of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) from spent lithium battery materials for the first time. The effect of the flow field on the motion of injected particles in a cyclone separator is studied by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). It is found that there is a classification phenomenon caused by the difference in the particle densities and the separation process is simulated accordingly. The results show that 60% LiFePO4 in the original feed can be separated after 7 separations, and the mass purity is 91%, with 7% Al and 2% Fe under instantaneous surface injection conditions. Compared with the original feed, LFP is effectively recycled. After 15 separations, the efficiency increases to 76%. Under simulated continuous injection conditions, the separation efficiency of LFP is 61.22% after 20 simulated separations, and the mass purities of the separated products are 92.53% LFP, 6.92% Al, 0.44% Fe and 0.11% Cu. Compared with the traditional method, the new method has advantages of low energy consumption, low cost, theoretically no pollution, and great development potential.

In recent years, zinc alloys have shown great potential as orthopedic plant materials because of their excellent biocompatibility, osteoinductive and biodegradation activities in vivo. The physiological function, degradation rate and mechanical properties of pure zinc were introduced in this review. Taking the gap between the above indicators and the clinical needs of orthopedics as the clue and the alloy elements as the classification basis, the existing achievements of researchers to improve the properties of zinc-based materials by changing the microstructure of materials and triggering the corresponding strengthening mechanism, and using the physiological synergistic function of added elements were expounded in this paper. The standard formulation, alloy design improvement and the introduction of new technologies such as additive manufacturing in the field of medical zinc based materials were discussed in order to meet the diversified needs of clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Objective To evaluate the clinical effect of music therapy combined with sensory integration training on the improvement of motor function in children with cerebral palsy. Methods Fifty children with cerebral palsy were enrolled and randomly divided into the control (n = 25) and observation groups (n = 25). Conventional rehabilitation training was performed in the control group, and music therapy combined with sensory integration training were conducted on the basis of conventional rehabilitation training in the observation group. The course of treatment was 12 weeks in two groups. The 88-item version of the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88) scale and the Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM) scale were used to evaluate the gross motor function level and independence of daily life before and after the treatment in two groups. The differences were statistically compared between two groups. Results After 12 weeks of treatment, the D and E domain scores of GMFM-88 scale and WeeFIM scale of children in both groups were significantly higher than those before treatment (all P < 0.05), and the effect in the observation group was better than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion Compared with conventional rehabilitation training, music therapy combined with sensory integration training can improve the initiatives of children with cerebral palsy and improve their motor function and independent ability in daily life.

Ferroptosis plays an important role in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). We aim to develop a new ferroptosis-related gene signature predicting the prognosis of ICC. We download RNA expression profiles and clinical data of ICC from TCGA and GEO databases. Ferroptosis-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) are screened by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses are performed to understand the function of DEGs and co-expressed genes. Univariate Cox and LASSO regression are used to develop a ferroptosis-related gene signature. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis were used to evaluate the prognostic value. RNA sequencing is performed in 30 patients with ICC in our medical center to validate the prognostic value of the gene signature. We identify 44 ferroptosis-related DEGs, among which four (ACSL4, IREB2, NFE2L2, and TP53) are associated with overall survival (OS). Functional enrichment analysis shows that ferroptosis-associated DEGs have an important impact on ICC carcinogenesis. A new ferroptosis-related gene signature based on DEGs is built, and the prognostic ability is confirmed by KM and ROC curves (AUC=0.777, 0.75, 0.799 for 12, 24, and 36 months, respectively). Patients with high risk scores have worse OS ( P=0.0081). In the validation cohort, the expression of DEGs is in accordance with that in the exploration cohort. The four-gene signature is also demonstrated to have a favorable prognostic value (AUC=0.69). A new predictive model based on four ferroptosis-related genes (ACSL4, IREB2, NFE2L2, and TP53) is established and shows favorable prognostic value.

The fault diagnosis method of planetary gearbox based on machine learning relies on the artificial selection of the eigenvectors. The quality of eigenvectors selection largely determines the accuracy of the diagnosis method. The convolutional neural network (CNN) can extract characteristics automatically. But it is difficult to accurately diagnose the fault from a single vibration signal when it is used for the planetary gearbox fault diagnosis. To solve the above problems, a fault diagnosis method of planetary gearbox based on multi-information fusion and CNN is proposed. The method performs data layer fusion on three-dimensional (horizontal radial direction, vertical radial direction and axial direction) vibration signals and sound signals of the planetary gearbox. The one-dimensional vibration signals and sound signals are integrated into two-dimensional signals in a parallel connection mode. The two-dimensional signals are used as the input of CNN. The multiple convolutional layers and maximum pooling layers are used for depth characteristic extraction and information filtering. Finally, the Softmax classifier is used to achieve fault classification. The fault diagnosis experiment platform of the planetary gearbox is built. The vibration signals and sound signals of normal and fault states of the planetary gearbox under different speed and load conditions are collected and input into CNN for training and verification. Four single-source information of horizontal radial vibration signal, vertical radial vibration signal, axial vibration signal and sound signal are selected under the same conditions and combined with CNN respectively for comparison. The experiment is used to verify the superiority of the fault diagnosis method for planetary gearbox based on multi-information fusion and CNN. The experimental results show that the fault identification accuracy of the two methods of axial vibration signal+CNN and sound signal+CNN is 74.07% and 75.13% respectively. The fault identification accuracy of the two methods of horizontal radial vibration signal+CNN and vertical radial vibration signal+CNN is 89.70% and 87.09% respectively. The method based on multi-information fusion and CNN has the fastest convergence speed and the highest fault identification accuracy, which is 93.33%.

To model estimated deaths averted by COVID-19 vaccines, we used state-of-the-art mathematical modeling, likelihood-based inference, and reported COVID-19 death and vaccination data. We estimated that >1.5 million deaths were averted in 12 countries. Our model can help assess effectiveness of the vaccination program, which is crucial for curbing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: To evaluate excess deaths of gastrointestinal, liver, and pancreatic diseases in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: We retrieved weekly death counts from National Vital Statistics System and fitted them with a quasi-Poisson regression model. Cause-specific excess deaths were calculated by the difference between observed and expected deaths with adjustment for temporal trend and seasonality. Demographic disparities and temporal-spatial patterns were evaluated for different diseases.Results: From March 2020 to September 2022, the increased mortality (measured by excess risks) for Clostridium difficile colitis, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and acute pancreatitis were 35.9%; 24.8%; and 20.6% higher than the expected. For alcoholic liver disease, fibrosis/cirrhosis, and hepatic failure, the excess risks were 1.4–2.8 times higher among younger inhabitants than older inhabitants. The excess deaths of selected diseases were persistently observed across multiple epidemic waves with fluctuating trends for gastrointestinal hemorrhage and fibrosis/cirrhosis and an increasing trend for C. difficile colitis.Conclusion: The persistently observed excess deaths of digestive diseases highlights the importance for healthcare authorities to develop sustainable strategies in response to the long-term circulating of SARS-CoV-2 in the community.

Obesity is positively correlated with the occurrence of many chronic diseases, and its incidence has increased at an astonishing rate in the recent two decades. Strategies based on dietary modification to prevent and treat obesity are low-cost, widely available, and highly scalable. Edible fungi are rich in variety, high in nutritional value, and contain a variety of active ingredients. Based on this, this paper briefly describes the molecular mechanisms of obesity development and the more common active ingredients in edible fungi. It also outlines how active ingredients can reduce the body's energy intake by suppressing appetite, reduce lipid synthesis, and promote lipolysis by affecting lipase activity and regulating genes and pathways related to lipid synthesis and catabolism. And improve inflammation and regulate intestinal microbiota and its metabolites to prevent and treat obesity and its metabolic syndrome. The paper aims to provide a theoretical reference for the research and development of anti-obesity functional foods.

Objectives Direct comparisons between COVID-19 and influenza A in the critical care setting are limited. The objective of this study was to compare their outcomes and identify risk factors for hospital mortality.Design and setting This was a territory-wide, retrospective study on all adult (≥18 years old) patients admitted to public hospital intensive care units in Hong Kong. We compared COVID-19 patients admitted between 27 January 2020 and 26 January 2021 with a propensity-matched historical cohort of influenza A patients admitted between 27 January 2015 and 26 January 2020. We reported outcomes of hospital mortality and time to death or discharge. Multivariate analysis using Poisson regression and relative risk (RR) was used to identify risk factors for hospital mortality.Results After propensity matching, 373 COVID-19 and 373 influenza A patients were evenly matched for baseline characteristics. COVID-19 patients had higher unadjusted hospital mortality than influenza A patients (17.5% vs 7.5%, p

IntroductionMassive pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening complication of major surgery with a mortality rate of up to 50%. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is primarily used for respiratory and circulatory support. Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is used to stabilize patients with acute massive PE. Acute brain injury, vascular disease, and immunosuppression are contraindications to ECMO, as stated in the 2021 Extracorporeal Life Support Organization guidelines.Case summaryWe report a case of a patient with craniocerebral trauma whose postoperative course was complicated by massive PE and subsequent cardiac arrest that required urgent VA-ECMO, followed by anticoagulation with heparin. The patient showed hemodynamic improvement and was discharged 68 days after hospitalization.DiscussionECMO has gradually been accepted for patients with craniocerebral injuries. The safety and effectiveness of ECMO in patients with craniocerebral injury, along with the optimal duration of ECMO and anticoagulation strategies, require further study.

ObjectiveThis study investigates the extent of resection, duration of surgery, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative complications in patients with high-grade glioma who received surgery with or without sodium fluorescein guidance.MethodsA single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted on 112 patients who visited our department and underwent surgery between July 2017 and June 2022, with 61 in the fluorescein group and 51 in the non-fluorescein group. Baseline characteristics, intraoperative blood loss, surgery duration, resection extent, and postoperative complications were documented.ResultsThe duration of surgery was significantly shorter in the fluorescein group than in the non-fluorescein group (P = 0.022), especially in patients with tumors in the occipital lobes (P = 0.013). More critically, the gross total resection (GTR) rate was significantly higher in the fluorescein group than in the non-fluorescein group (45.9% vs. 19.6%, P = 0.003). The postoperative residual tumor volume (PRTV) was also significantly lower in the fluorescein group than in the non-fluorescein group (0.40 [0.12-7.11] cm3 vs. 4.76 [0.44-11.00] cm3, P = 0.020). Particularly in patients with tumors located in the temporal and occipital lobes (temporal, GTR 47.1% vs. 8.3%, P = 0.026; PRTV 0.23 [0.12-8.97] cm3 vs. 8.35 [4.05-20.59] cm3, P = 0.027; occipital, GTR 75.0% vs. 0.0%, P = 0.005; PRTV 0.15 [0.13-1.50] cm3 vs. 6.58 [3.70-18.79] cm3, P = 0.005). However, the two groups had no significant difference in intraoperative blood loss (P = 0.407) or postoperative complications (P = 0.481).ConclusionsFluorescein-guided resection of high-grade gliomas using a special operating microscope is a feasible, safe, and convenient technique that significantly improves GTR rates and reduces postoperative residual tumor volume when compared to conventional white light surgery without fluorescein guidance. This technique is particularly advantageous for patients with tumors located in non-verbal, sensory, motor, and cognitive areas such as the temporal and occipital lobes, and does not increase the incidence of postoperative complications.

The conventional wisdom about caring for the elderly inside families is crumbling under the weight of a fast-changing society and the mounting problems caused by an aging population. Smart senior care services leverage cutting-edge technology like AI, IoT, and big data analytics to provide comprehensive, specifically personalized care. This paper explores the theoretical foundations, practical applications, challenges, and recommended solutions for smart care services for the elderly using specific case studies to illustrate possible trends in future development. These services’ technical foundation consists of big data analysis to help identify the needs of the elderly, internet of things (IoT) to enable real-time monitoring, and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms that offer smart health management solutions. These services include a wide range of tasks, such as monitoring health, helping with everyday tasks, and responding to emergencies. Costs, data security, and privacy protection are three of the many obstacles to marketing and expanding these services. A variety of approaches, including increased public awareness, supporting legislation, and regulatory actions, are proposed in the paper as potential solutions to these problems. Smart senior care services show great potential for home-based care, according to case studies. As time goes on and society evolves, these services are predicted to become more popular, making life easier and more pleasant for elders.

With the development of science and technology, the massive consumption of traditional fossil fuels not only brings serious environmental pollution but also causes an energy crisis. As an indispensable new energy in today’s world, Lithium batteries have many advantages that other types of batteries do not have, such as high energy density, long life, low self-discharge rate advantages, green and environmental protection, etc., and widely used in various fields, such as automotive, medical, aerospace and so on. However, the drawbacks such as low specific capacity and high side reaction of graphite material in traditional lithium batteries limit the application of lithium batteries. Graphene, as a two-dimensional material composed of carbon atoms in a single layer thickness, possesses the advantages of huge surface area, high strength and hardness, good electrical and thermal conductivity, flexibility, and transparency, and has great potential for application in lithium batteries. In this paper, for graphene as the anode material of lithium batteries, its effects on the performance of lithium batteries, including cycling performance, charge/discharge rate, and energy density, are discussed respectively. In addition, this paper also summarizes the latest progress on the application of graphene anode materials in lithium batteries.

BaTiO3, as one of the most important functional materials of perovskite structure, is widely used in the electronic industry. However, the dielectric permittivity of BaTiO3 remains relatively low, which greatly limits its practical application in metamaterials with colossal dielectric permittivity. In this work, (Ba100−xSrx)(Ti100−yZry)O3 composite ceramics are fabricated via the solid sintering method. Surprisingly, the dielectric properties of (Ba100−xSrx)(Ti100−yZry)O3 composite ceramic materials are strongly dependent on the occupancy of Sr2+ and Zr4+ at the A-sites and B-sites, respectively. Consequently, via adjusting the doping amount of SrTiO3 and BaZrO3, a greatly enhanced dielectric permittivity of 28287 (65 °C, 1 kHz), along with a high breakdown strength of 84.47 kV/cm is achieved in (Ba90Sr10)(Ti90Zr10)O3 composite ceramics, which are 2144% and 13 % higher than those of (Ba99Sr1)(Ti99Zr1)O3 composite ceramics, respectively. Moreover, the reasons for the significant increase in dielectric permittivity are identified through finite element simulations, and the breakdown mechanism of composite ceramic materials is explored. This work provides a facile approach to constructing high dielectric permittivity composite ceramics, the (Ba100−xSrx)(Ti100−yZry)O3 composite ceramics have broad application prospects in electronics and electrostatic energy storage capacitors.

Constitutive modelling of cyclically loaded undrained clay is of significant importance for various branches of geotechnical engineering exemplified by offshore wind turbine (OWT) foundation design and prevention and mitigation of earthquake hazards. Fine-grained soils can display non-linear stress-strain relations from small (10-5) to relatively large (10-1) strain levels. This full-strain-range non-linearity can remarkably affect the cyclic response. Effective stress-based constitutive models have achieved great success in modelling clayey soils, whereas they can be overly complex for practicing engineers, in particular, when considering non-monotonic loading and full-strain-range non-linearity. This paper explores the possibility of modelling, in simplified manner, the full-strain-range nonlinearity of cyclically loaded undrained clay, which can directly utilize outcomes of in situ site exploration and routine laboratory tests. For this purpose, we idealize soils under undrained conditions as single-phase materials governed by total stress. Considering that most current total stress-based models are proposed for metals and may be limited to capture the non-linear stress-strain relations of soil, a novel generalized non-linear (GNL) hardening law is proposed that can describe versatile stress-strain relations of undrained clays. Bounding surface and a mapping rule considering update of projection centre are introduced to reflect the influences of maximum past stress history and recent stress history, respectively, on the stress-strain nonlinearity. The simplified constitutive model is first validated at the element level by simulating monotonic and cyclic loading laboratory tests on undrained clays. Later, the proposed soil model is applied to the finite element analyses of OWT pile foundation subjected to cyclic lateral loading.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) significantly threaten the atmospheric environment. Currently, common methods for the recovery and treatment of VOCs include adsorption, solution absorption, photocatalytic oxidation, and high-temperature oxidation. Among them, the Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) is a scheme for high-temperature oxidation treatment of VOCs, which applies aerospace heat transfer and combustion technology to the treatment of VOCs, and the removal efficiency of VOCs can reach over 99%. Considering the high temperature and possible instantaneous overpressure during the combustion process, a three-dimensional flow model of the bottom air distribution chamber and heat storage chamber was established to solve the technical difficulties of the gas flow field in the existing RTO and improve the safety and stability of the overall flow. Simulated the gas flow field and analysed the distribution pattern of the gas flow rate. In response to the uneven distribution of airflow caused by the pipeline layout, orifice plates were installed at the bottom of the furnace, and various orifice plate designs were considered. The results indicate that adding slanted orifice plates can improve flow conditions and enhance safety while meeting practical needs.

In the process of traditional classroom teaching, the classroom atmosphere is generally dull, which greatly restricts the teaching quality and learning efficiency. As the only school-enterprise cooperation major, the information security technology application major in Shandong Electric Power College, together with NARI, 360 and other companies, makes full use of existing resources and builds a classroom based on skills competition that is goal-oriented guidance, close to job requirements, competition and cooperation coexisting. Meanwhile, this paper forms a three-dimensional construction model focus on knowledge, ability and quality. Based on the three-dimensional construction model mentioned before, this paper has explored on three aspects: teaching model, combination of competition and training, and multi-level competition mechanism, which is of great significance to the construction of a vitality classroom centered on student learning.