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The electricity system faces load-matching pressure due to imbalances during peak times or extreme weather, making it costly to phase out coal-fired electricity and reduce carbon emissions. The electricity spot market pilot (ESMP) policy provides reserve capacities for grids, but its effectiveness on green economic development is still unknown. Therefore, using panel data from 286 cities in China from 2006 to 2019, this study analyzes the impact of the ESMP policy on green economic performance. The results indicate a significantly positive effect of the ESMP policy on green economic performance. In addition, the policy could help to phase out 6.3% of coal-fired capacity, on average, reduce coal-fired equipment utilization hours by 0.9%, and increase renewable equipment utilization hours by 4% in pilot regions. These findings provide new insights into ESMP policy and green economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Is it the heavy industry or light industry that performs better in energy efficiency incorporating undesirable outputs? Energy efficiency is the gap between actual and target energy inputs, thus the more energy intensive heavy industry is not necessarily the less energy efficient one. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and compare the ecological total-factor energy efficiency (ETFEE) of the heavy and light industries as well as to assess their technology gaps. Considering the slack-bias of conventional DEA models and technological heterogeneity between heavy and light industries, the slack-based DEA model (SBM) and meta-frontier technology have been combined. The empirical results show that: (1) China's industries did not perform efficiently. Among them, heavy industry, albeit has more advanced technology, demonstrates lower energy efficiency than light industry. Thus, China needs to stimulate heavy industry to achieve its potential in efficiency improvement. (2) Compared with light industry, governmental stimulus induced expansion has promoted technological advancement in heavy industry, but it still has had no effect on the utilization of existing technologies by, for example, improving the managerial efficiency. Greater pressure on environmental standards is needed to motivate factories in heavy industry to utilize existing technologies more sufficiently. (3) Technological gap among industries has enlarged, thus more attention should be paid on encouraging technology spillover from heavy industry to light industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-fossil energy increases the non-dispatchability of power system, requiring fossil-based technologies to provide back-up capacity as dispatchable source. In a coal-based economy like China, it is coal-fired units that act as back-up capacity. This paper shows that increase of non-fossil energy generation is associated with higher heat rates of coal-fired units, which can be explained by the decreased operating hours for dispatching. This side-effect is sizeable, accounting for 13% of carbon mitigation from non-fossil energy. The extra fuel cost is estimated to be 10.9 billion US dollars. This paper thus calls attention to alternative technologies, such as large-scale storage, as dispatchable source. • Dispatching policy ensures the exogeneity of non-fossil energy in regression. • Discussing how non-fossil energy increases the heat rate of coal-fired units. • Calling attention to the essential role of coal-fired units as dispatchable source. • Highlighting the indirect cost of integrating non-fossil energy for power system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's economic growth has been progressively moving towards reducing carbon intensity. In parallel, Japan has long been regarded as the pioneer of energy efficiency worldwide. Why have these two economic giants had such different experiences of carbon intensity in the past decades? A closer examination in both countries may hold vital clues, which are still very unclear. This paper compares the patterns of carbon intensity between China and Japan, in which we propose a bilateral-country decomposition framework by combining production-theoretical decomposition analysis and index decomposition analysis. The decomposition highlights the effects of emission factor, energy structure, sectoral structure, substitution among labor-energy and capital-energy, and technological progress. The results show that the energy structure, sectoral structure, and capital-energy substitution are the main drivers behind that China is much higher carbon intensity than Japan, accounting for 26%, 25%, and 38%, respectively. Yet, these effects also narrowed the carbon intensity gap between China and Japan over the years. Furthermore, the labor-energy substitution effect has generally decreased the carbon intensity gap. The technological effect has a minor impact on the carbon intensity gap per year, while it plays a dominant role in enlarging the carbon intensity gap over time. • An improved approach is proposed to decompose driving forces of carbon intensity. • The approach is applied to carbon intensity gap between China and Japan. • Potential energy intensity of each sector is uncovered by input substitution. • Enabling policymakers in developing countries to reduce carbon intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a financial instrument and a crucial component of the environmental governance system, the comprehensive impacts of green credit on both the economy and the environment remain unclear. This study examines Chinese provincial data from 2001 to 2018 and employs multiple models to assess the dynamic effects of green credit on carbon productivity. The findings indicate a significant positive influence of green credit on carbon productivity within local and surrounding areas. Furthermore, the promotion effect of green credit on carbon productivity is mainly through energy structure transformation, upgrading of industrial structure and green technology innovation. Interestingly, when considering the spatiotemporal aspect, we observe an initial marginal negative impact of green credit on carbon productivity, which subsequently transitions to a positive effect. The regions demonstrating the highest positive impacts of green credit are primarily concentrated in the southwestern region rich in renewable energy and the economically developed eastern coastal region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given that China is committed to peak its carbon dioxide emissions in or before 2030 under the Paris Agreement, promoting renewable energy to substitute coal is one critical solution to facilitate China to meet this commitment. Among various types of renewable energy, solar energy is an attractive choice that will significantly influence the future of energy supply and energy usage. We first provide an overview of the most recent development of solar energy in China, in which the changing pattern from stationary to distributive forms is highlighted. We show that the diversified prices and subsidies across regions may play an important role in the changing pattern. Furthermore, we find major challenges that might impede the future expansion of solar energy. To address these challenges, governments need to propose policies to develop technologies and meditate the benefits of stakeholders, especially grid companies and electricity end-users. Market-based policies are also expected to accelerate the learning-by-doing process through R&D investment, which will help reduce and ultimately eliminate solar subsidies. • An overview of the most recent development of solar energy in China. • A new pattern from stationary to distributive forms of solar energy is highlighted. • Reasons for the changing pattern: Diversified prices and subsidies. • Challenges and policy options for the expansion of China's solar energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coordinated development of green finance (GF) and the renewable energy industry (REI) is crucial for accelerating energy transition and mitigating climate change. However, the existing literature has overlooked the bidirectional relationship between GF and REI. Using provincial data from 2007 to 2019, this study investigates the coupling coordination degree of GF and REI (GRCC) and its spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and driving factors. The findings indicate that both GF and REI experienced stable growth during the study period, but REI lagged behind GF, and their spatial distribution displayed asymmetrical characteristics. Although GRCC exhibited a stable growth trend and slight coordination at both national and regional levels, it displayed large interprovincial differences and spatial agglomeration characteristics. Notably, high GRCC values were primarily concentrated in a few provinces in southwest and south-central regions, spreading to the east. Furthermore, financial development, renewable energy endowment, economy scale, technological innovation, environmental regulation, and fiscal expenditure were identified as the main drivers of GRCC. This study provides a Chinese case study for global energy transition and introduces new ideas for synergy between REI and GF policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional maritime search and rescue methods mainly rely on manual operation, which takes a long time to identify and results in poor search and rescue results. This paper applies computer vision technology to the field of maritime distress object detection and proposes an improved object detection algorithm YOLOv5s‐EFOE based on the YOLOv5s algorithm. Firstly, the authors change the detection head of the YOLOv5s algorithm to use a mixed channel strategy to build a more efficient decoupling head, reducing the number of 3 × 3 convolutional layers in the middle of the decoupling head to only one. The width of the head is scaled by the width multipliers of Backbone and Neck. Secondly, in conjunction with the SimOTA matching algorithm, the positive samples of the target to be tested are dynamically allocated to improve the recognition ability of different targets. Finally, considering the low pixel value of the maritime distress target from the perspective of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), the loss function CIoU in the original YOLOv5s is changed to EIoU. EIoU not only considers the distance and aspect ratio of the centre point, but also considers the true difference between the width and height of the prediction box and the real box, which improves the prediction accuracy of the anchor box. Experiments are conducted on a subset of the public dataset SeaDronesSee. The Recall$Recall$ of the YOLOv5s‐EFOE model proposed in this paper reached 75.9%, mAP0.5$mA{P_{0.5}}$ reached 79.9%, and mAP0.5−0.95$mA{P_{0.5 - 0.95}}$ reached 44.5%. These indicators are superior to the original YOLOv5s model, YOLOv7 series models, and YOLOv8 series models. Compared with the original model, the YOLOv5s‐EFOE model has increased the Recall$Recall$ by 5.4%, mAP0.5$mA{P_{0.5}}$ by 5.6%, and mAP0.5−0.95$mA{P_{0.5 - 0.95}}$ by 4.6%, improving the difficult to detect and missed detection situations. This model can be deployed on UAVs and can effectively identify maritime distress target, achieving the purpose of search and rescue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea ice formation over open water exerts critical control on polar atmosphere‐ocean‐ice interactions, but is only crudely represented in sea ice models. In this study, a collection depth parameterization of new ice for flux polynya models is modified by including the sea ice concentration and ice growth rate as additional factors. We evaluated it in a climate model BCC‐CSM2‐MR and found that it improves simulation of Antarctic sea ice concentration and thickness in most of Indian and Atlantic sectors. Disagreement between the observed Antarctic sea ice expansion during 1981–2014 and the modeled decline still exists but is mitigated when the modified scheme is implemented. Further analysis indicates that these improvements are associated with the overcoming of premature closure of open water, which enhances the response of ocean to surface wind intensification during 1981–2014, and consequently slowdowns the sea surface temperature increase and the resulting Antarctic sea ice reduction. Plain Language Summary: Open water ice formation critically modulates sea ice variations and the associated polar atmosphere‐ocean interaction, but is not well represented in sea ice models. In this study, a modified collection depth parameterization of new ice based on an existing scheme is presented after including sea ice concentration and ice growth rate as additional factors. We evaluated this modified scheme in BCC‐CSM2‐MR and found that it can improve the simulation of mean Antarctic sea ice thickness and concentration in winter as well as Antarctic sea ice expansion from 1981 to 2014. Further analysis implies that these improvements can be attributed to the overcoming of the premature closure of open water areas in model simulations. Key Points: A modified collection thickness parameterization of new ice suitable for large‐scale climate simulations is presentedIt improves the simulation of Antarctic sea ice thickness and concentration, as well as Antarctic sea ice expansion during 1981–2014The improved simulations can be attributed to the overcoming of the premature closure of open water areas where new ice forms [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study explores the underexplored application of benchmarking in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) among Chinese A-listed companies from 2010 to 2020. The results reveal a positive relationship between CSR performance and local best practices, indicating benchmarking’s influence on CSR activities. Notably, benefits like increased market value, robust revenue, and heightened analyst attention signify positive market signals, motivating companies to enhance their CSR performance. The impacts on CSR performance varies significantly based on leader companies’ CSR scores, ages, and follower companies’ ownership properties, sizes, and locations. Our findings offer valuable insights into CSR motivations and the performance effects of best practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) has caused huge economic losses in the swine industry worldwide. Live and inactivated vaccines have only been partially successful in generating protective immune responses. The PRRS virus (PRRSV) glycoprotein 5 (GP5) is a major viral antigenic target and is thus suitable for development of genetically engineered PRRSV vaccines. Here, a modified GP5 and ferritin were fused and expressed using a baculovirus system to generate a GP5m-ferritin nanoparticle vaccine. We demonstrated that the GP5m-ferritin vaccine elicited higher serum antibody titers in pigs than inactivated PRRSV. Moreover, immunization with GP5m-Ft promoted a Th1-dominant cellular immune response and enhanced specific T-lymphocyte immune responses. GP5m-ferritin-vaccinated pigs had significantly lower mean rectal temperatures, respiratory scores, viremia, and macroscopic and microscopic lung lesion scores post-challenge compared with unvaccinated pigs. These results indicated that GP5m-ferritin subunit vaccines can elicit specific protective immune responses and represent promising vaccine candidates. • GP5m-ferritin vaccine elicited higher neutralizing antibody titers in pigs than inactivated PRRSV. • Immunization with GP5m- ferritin promoted a Th1-dominant cellular immune response and enhanced specific T-lymphocyte immune responses. • The clinical symptoms and tissue lesions of pigs inoculated with GP5m-ferritin were significantly reduced after challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical perivascular sympathectomy (CPVS) can improve communication disorders in children with cerebral palsy (CP); however, there are no research reports on the factors affecting surgical efficacy. This study aimed to establish a nomogram for poor prognosis after CPVS. We collected data from 313 CP patients who underwent CPVS at the Neurosurgery Cerebral Palsy Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from January 2019 to January 2023. Among them, 70% (n = 216) formed the training cohort and 30% (n = 97) the validation cohort. The general data and laboratory examination data of both groups were analyzed. In training cohort, 82 (37.96%) showed improved postoperative communication function. Logistic analysis identified motor function, serum alkaline phosphatase, serum albumin, and prothrombin activity as the prognostic factors. Using these four factors, a prediction model was constructed with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.807 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.743–0.870), indicating its ability to predict adverse outcomes after CPVS. The validation cohort results showed an AUC of 0.76 (95% CI, 0.650–0.869). The consistency curve and Hosmer–Lemeshow test (χ2 = 10.988 and p = 0.202, respectively) demonstrated good consistency between the model-predicted incidence and the actual incidence of poor prognosis. Motor function, serum alkaline phosphatase, serum albumin, and prothrombin activity are independent risk factors associated with the prognosis of communication disorders after CPVS. The combined prediction model has a good clinical prediction effect and has promising potential to be used for early prediction of prognosis of CPVS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a lack of research to determine the efficacy of cervical perivascular sympathectomy (CPVS) in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of CPVS in children with CP and analyze the associated influential factors. Methods: Using the method of retrospective cohort studies, children who underwent CPVS were included in the CPVS group, whereas those who underwent selective posterior rhizotomy (SPR) were included in the SPR group. The Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) and Teacher Drooling Scale (TDS) were used to evaluate the communication function and salivation in the two groups before and 12 months after surgery and compare the surgical efficiency between the two groups, and the factors affecting the efficacy were screened by binary logistic regression. Results: The study included 406 patients, 202 in the CPVS group and 204 in the SPR group. No significant differences were observed in the baseline characteristics (p > 0.05). The surgical efficacy of the CPVS group (47.01%) was significantly higher than that in the SPR group (9.81%) (χ2 = 71.08, p < 0.001). Binary logic regression analysis showed that preterm birth and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) grade were influencing factors of surgical efficacy. Eighteen patients developed postoperative complications. Conclusion: CPVS is a safe and effective surgery for cerebral palsy. Preterm birth and GMFCS grade are independent factors affecting the efficacy of surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how urbanisation and industrialisation interact with carbon emissions (CEs) among different regions informs the approaches for achieving emissions reduction targets and promoting regional economic development. However, this topic has not been adequately addressed in previous studies. Therefore, it is of great significance to conduct an empirical investigation of the interactions between urbanisation, industrialisation and CEs. Aided by the gravity model, the barycentre trajectories of urbanisation, industrialisation and CEs are analysed. Additionally, the total transfer amounts of industry and CEs are quantitatively examined by using an improved shift-share analysis method, and the spatial aggregation features of urbanisation, industrialisation and CEs are elucidated by constructing a three-dimensional (3D) contribution matrix model. The key conclusions are as follows: (1) The barycentre of industrialisation and urbanisation migrated to the southwest, while that of CE migrated to the northwest and the speed of this movement was faster than that of urbanisation and industrialisation. (2) Industrial transfer mainly occurred in 2005–2012, while the turning point of industrial upgrading appeared in 2013. Furthermore, midwestern regions mainly underwent industrial transfer, while northwest regions always showed CEs transfer from 2005 to 2016. (3) To achieve coordination among urbanisation, industrialisation and emission reductions, 30 provinces are grouped into 8 types according to the 3D contribution matrix model, and optimisation strategies are proposed to highlight regional disparities. These findings have significant implications for making informed decisions regarding urbanisation and industrialisation development as well as emissions-reduction policies. Unlabelled Image • The barycenter of the gravity model is used to map the transfer trajectories. • The transfer amount of industry and carbon emissions are measured by the improved shift share analysis. • Spatial agglomeration characteristics of carbon emission are classified. • Proposing the differentiated strategies for promoting low carbon transition in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A framework to assess the effects of time-dependent regulations was established. • Special period regulation (SPR) effectively reduced the air pollution level. • There are heterogeneous impacts of the SPR across cities. • The effects of SPR are negative across 24 h and weak from 12 pm to 2–3 pm. • SPR achieves a "win-win" status about environmental protection and economic growth. This study examines the impacts of time-dependent environmental regulations on air pollution during the autumn and winter. This was done by exploiting a quasi-experimental setting where a special period regulation was implemented in the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan region (CZT, located within Hunan Province in southern China), but not in cities surrounding CZT over the same period. Using hourly level data from October 1, 2014, to September 30, 2017, and by employing a difference-in-differences model, we found that the special period regulation significantly reduced PM 2.5 concentrations, the Air Quality Index, and the probability of the occurrence of severely polluted days in CZT. Furthermore, we found that while this regulation had significant negative impacts on air pollution in Changsha, the impacts were not robust in Zhuzhou and Xiangtan. Our results further revealed that the regulatory effects were significantly negative over a 24-hour time period, but the effects temporarily weakened from 12 pm to 2–3 pm. We also confirmed that such regulations can be used to achieve a "win-win" situation in terms of environmental protection and economic growth. Thus, the results suggest that time-dependent environmental regulations will be valuable in combination with existing policies to improve air quality during specific periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BCC-ESM1 is the first version of the Beijing Climate Center's Earth System Model, and is participating in phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). The Aerosol Chemistry Model Intercomparison Project (AerChemMIP) is the only CMIP6-endorsed MIP in which BCC-ESM1 is involved. All AerChemMIP experiments in priority 1 and seven experiments in priorities 2 and 3 have been conducted. The DECK (Diagnostic, Evaluation and Characterization of Klima) and CMIP historical simulations have also been run as the entry card of CMIP6. The AerChemMIP outputs from BCC-ESM1 have been widely used in recent atmospheric chemistry studies. To facilitate the use of the BCC-ESM1 datasets, this study describes the experiment settings and summarizes the model outputs in detail. Preliminary evaluations of BCC-ESM1 are also presented, revealing that: the climate sensitivities of BCC-ESM1 are well within the likely ranges suggested by IPCC AR5; the spatial structures of annual mean surface air temperature and precipitation can be reasonably captured, despite some common precipitation biases as in CMIP5 and CMIP6 models; a spurious cooling bias from the 1960s to 1990s is evident in BCC-ESM1, as in most other ESMs; and the mean states of surface sulfate concentrations can also be reasonably reproduced, as well as their temporal evolution at regional scales. These datasets have been archived on the Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) node for atmospheric chemistry studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The variation of strength with loading rate under various loading modes were revealed for cement-stabilized macadam. • The fatigue properties of cement stabilized macadam under different loading modes were uniformly characterized. • The new strength structure coefficient associated with the loading rate was proposed for cement-stabilized macadam. Cement-stabilized macadam is widely employed as a base-layer of pavement in China, because of its high strength and stiffness. However, fatigue cracking of the cement-stabilized macadam based pavement is prone to occur under multiple traffic loads, which affects the service life of the pavement. The main objective of this work is to reveal the fatigue characteristics of cement-stabilized macadam under various loading modes by developing a unified fatigue characteristics model. To this end, an unconfined compressive strength test, indirect tensile strength test, and four-point bending strength test were conducted for the cement-stabilized macadam samples under various loading rates. A power function was employed to the pattern of variation of strength with loading rates. The stress ratio of the fatigue test associated with the loading rate was obtained and defined as the rate-dependent stress ratio. Also, the fatigue tests under various loading modes were implemented based on the rate-dependent stress ratio and nominal stress ratio. The preliminary laboratory experimental results showed that it is challenging to compare fatigue performance under different loading modes based on nominal stress ratio. However, the problems of uncertainty and non-uniqueness of fatigue characteristics under various loading modes were resolved by employing the idea of rate-dependent stress ratio in the correlation analyses. Based on that, the new strength structure coefficient associated with the loading rate was proposed in this study. Therefore, the proposed research results provided the fundamental understanding of the fatigue resistance design of pavement with semi-rigid base-layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Study fatigue based on modulus decay considering variance of compressive-tensile. • A synchronous test method of modulus was used to monitor modulus during fatigue test. • The modulus decay mode of tensile and compressive were established and compared. The cement stabilized macadam base experiences tensile and compressive stresses simultaneously in the actual pavement structures, resulting in the influence of stress states on fatigue performance. In this paper, the fatigue performance of cement stabilized macadam was analyzed based on modulus decay considering the difference between compressive and tensile modulus. A synchronous measurement method of tensile and compressive modulus, which based on convention four-point bending test, was utilized to measure modulus of cement stabilized macadam during a fatigue test. The four-point bending fatigue test was conducted upon four different stress levels of 0.25 MPa, 0.5 MPa, 1.0 MPa, and 1.5 MPa. The average of 10 closest modulus values nearby the first 1% of fatigue life was adopted to determine the initial modulus. The last 5 cycles before the failure of the specimen in the fatigue test was determined as the critical modulus value. It was observed from the tests results that the critical value of compressive fatigue modulus was 8 times higher than that of tensile fatigue modulus. The initial and critical values of both tensile and compression decreased with the increase of stress levels. Under different stress levels, the modulus decay mode of tensile and compressive modulus was similar, but the decay rates of tensile modulus were higher than that of compressive modulus. Based on the modulus decay mode, the concept of critical failure point was put forward to characterize the fatigue behavior of cement stabilized macadam. During the fatigue process, both tensile and compressive modulus decay presented three stages, i.e. preliminary stage, stable stage, and rapid attenuation stage. The stable stage of tensile modulus was shorter than that of compressive modulus, which means that the primary fatigue damage occurred in the tensile zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A FEM of UHPC grouted RC column-footing socket joints was established. • Influencing parameters of joints performance were analyzed. • An estimation method of moment capacity was proposed. Socket connection is an effective connection method for assembling precast columns and adjacent components in accelerate bridge construction(ABC). In order to further enhance the efficiency of this connection type, an extensive numerical study of reinforced concrete(RC) column-footing socket joints was conducted by experimental data. The force transmission mechanism, the influence of parameters on the strength and failure state of the socket joints are revealed. It was found that the socket depth, longitudinal rebar ratio and axial load ratio have notable effect on the mechanical performance of the socket joints compared with other parameters. Base on the numerical simulation and experimental results, a calculation method for the moment capacity of socket joints was developed, which can accurately predict the moment capacity and failure mode of RC column-footing joints with socket connections. A design method of RC column-footing socket joints was also given for practical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traffic-related air pollution has become an urgent problem in many developing countries with rapid industrialization and urbanization. Traffic infrastructure construction, especially road reconstruction, is a prominent instrument of improving the road capacity and then affecting air quality. We employ the road area as the proxy variable of road infrastructure construction and further divide the road reconstruction pattern into lengthening pattern and widening pattern, respectively to evaluate the impact on urban air quality. The empirical result shows that the coefficient of road infrastructure construction represented by the road area is between −0.0818 and −0.0905, which means increasing road area has an emission-alleviating effect on air pollution. Moreover, we also find that the effect of road lengthening on air quality is better than road widening in the eastern China, but the improvement of road widening in the Central and Western China is better than the road lengthening. The result provides a valuable reference for policy recommendations on urban road infrastructure planning to improve air quality. • An empirical study is conducted to explore the effect of road construction. • Air pollution index is selected as the dependent variable to measure urban air quality. • An increase in road area can improve air quality. • Two road construction methods both have air pollution-reducing effect. • In the eastern cities, road lengthening is more effective in improving air quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Ayyagari model was applied to semi-rigid layers materials. • The unified fatigue model was obtained based on yield criterion. • A new design index of structural resistance was proposed. As the primary high-grade pavement structure, asphalt pavement with semi-rigid layers has been extensively applied in China. Among the semi-rigid layers materials, cement-treated aggregates (CTA) are an essential pavement element, and its fatigue life significantly affects the durability of the asphalt pavement structure. Various fatigue tests have been adopted to evaluate the fatigue properties of CTA. However, the fatigue resistance of the CTA measured under various methods is different, which seriously affects the accuracy of the structural design of the semi-rigid layers. Hence, this work aims to establish a design criterion for CTA to characterize the structural resistance of semi-rigid layers. The uniaxial compression (UC), four-point bending (4 PB), and indirect tensile (IDT) strength and fatigue tests for CTA were carried out. According to the traditional S - N fatigue model, the curves of fatigue performance and stress ratio of CTA under various stress states are quite different. To intuitively compare the structural resistance of CTA under various test types, the mean stress and effective stress of CTA under different loading rates were obtained. The yield surface was then established based on the Ayyagari model, considering the multiaxial yield criterion of CTA. The effective stress ratio was defined, and its relationship with the fatigue life of CTA was established. Based on the Ayyagari model and the normalized equation, the fatigue resistance criterion of semi-rigid layers under the three-dimensional stress state was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The strength variation rules of different loading modes under two mixing methods and different loading rates were revealed. • Under two mixing conditions, the strength of different loading modes was uniformed characterized. • The validity and completeness of strength parameters of semi-rigid base asphalt pavement structure design were improved. Cement stabilized macadam base is the primary stress diffusion and bearing layer of semi-rigid asphalt pavement, therefore its mechanical behavior directly affects pavement performance. The indirect tensile strength, unconfined compressive strength, and bending strength are the essential parameters for evaluating the bearing capacity of cement stabilized macadam. In the design of a pavement structure, the conventional mixing strength values of a test sample are analyzed and calculated at a fixed loading rate. By using this procedure, the influence of the mixing method and the different loading rates on the strength values are ignored. Besides, the strength obtained by using the fixed loading rate with different loading modes has significant differences. As a result, the artificial randomness of the strength parameter in the design of a semi-rigid asphalt pavement structure increases. In an attempt, to improve the effectiveness and completeness of the strength parameters of cement stabilized macadam under different loading modes, mechanical tests were conducted on samples prepared with both vibration mixing and conventional mixing methods. This procedure included, indirect tensile strength test, unconfined compressive strength test, and four-point bending strength test under different loading rates. The results of these strength tests each group of samples (vibration and conventional mixing method) were compared. Besides, all samples were subjected to 6 different loading rates when conducting each loading mode. These experimental values were analyzed. The loading rate and the strength value have a power function relationship and the correlation of strength rates was revealed. The results demonstrated that the vibration mixing method increases the indirect tensile strength, unconfined compressive strength, and four-point bending strength by 13%, 14%, and 10%, respectively. A unified strength model (S / S 0 = 0.9841 + 0.16856ln (0.01019 + v / v 0) under two mixing methods and various loading modes were established by using the variation between loading rate ratio and strength ratio. In the unified model, the strength under vibration mixing and conventional mixing methods, and the strength among different loading rates can be converted, which improved the test efficiency. The established unified model solves the problem of uncertainty and uniqueness of strength parameters under different loading modes. The accuracy of the semi-rigid asphalt pavement structure resistance design was effectively improved, thereby providing theoretical guidance for the construction of semi-rigid base asphalt pavement engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality among women worldwide. Immunotherapy, a promising therapeutic approach, often faces challenges due to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. This study explores the innovative use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology in conjunction with FCPCV nanoparticles to target and edit the C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 5 (CCL5) gene, aiming to improve the efficacy of breast cancer immunotherapy. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and TCGA-BRCA data identified CCL5 as a key immune-related gene in breast cancer. Using CRISPR-Cas9, sgRNA targeting CCL5 was designed and delivered to breast cancer cells and humanized mouse models via FCPCV nanoparticles. In vitro experiments demonstrated that FCPCV nanoparticles effectively silenced CCL5, enhanced CD8 + T cell activity, and increased the production of cytokines such as IFN-γ, TNF-α, and GZMB. In vivo studies revealed significant tumor suppression, improved immune microenvironment, and increased CD8 + /CD4 + ratios in treated mice, without notable toxic side effects. These findings highlight the potential of CRISPR-Cas9 nanoparticle-mediated gene editing as a novel strategy for enhancing breast cancer immunotherapy, providing a new direction for personalized and effective cancer treatment., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval: All were approved by the Clinical Ethics Committee of Jiangxi Cancer Hospital (No. 2024ky075). All animal experimental procedures were approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Jiangxi Cancer Hospital (No. 2024ky075). Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Chirp modulation can generate a relatively flat electro-optic frequency comb (EO comb) and offers the advantage of frequency reconfigurability, demonstrating significant potential in high-precision sensing and absorption spectroscopy measurements. However, nonresonant devices such as waveguides are susceptible to limitations in modulation efficiency and bandwidth during electro-optic modulation. In this paper, by utilizing chirp modulation resonance mode, we have realized an EO comb based on a lithium niobate resonator with small tooth spacing and high flatness. Theoretically, the chirp modulation of phase is achieved by modulating the dispersion coupling term in the resonant mode transmission equation. Compared with conventional waveguide-based EO combs, the resonant mode chirp modulation is capable of generating a multistage flat comb, and thus the bandwidth of the comb is significantly expanded. In the experiment, with a repetition rate as low as 20 kHz and a bias voltage of 1 V, the comb bandwidth extended to over 150 MHz, where the number of 3 dB flat comb teeth for a single stage exceeds 2,000. Finally, we evaluated the measurement capability of the frequency comb at different temperatures by utilizing the transmission spectrum of the germanium-doped silica waveguide cavity as the absorption spectrum, measuring a temperature sensitivity of 1505.00 MHz/K and a temperature instability of 1.13 mK/Hz 1/2 .

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder caused by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, originating from the substantia nigra pars compacta, and characterized by motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, resting tremor, and postural instability, as well as non-motor symptoms such as anxiety, depression, reduced sense of smell, cognitive impairment, and visual dysfunction. Emerging evidence highlights the retina as a promising site for non-invasive exploration of PD pathology, due to its shared embryonic origin with the central nervous system. In recent years, with the development of ophthalmic technology, the acquisition of retinal-related function and structure has gradually become mature. PD-related retinal changes have become a research hotspot for non-motor symptoms of PD. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of retinal dysfunctions in PD, focusing on structural and functional changes as potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and clinical assessment. By integrating findings from advanced imaging and electrophysiological studies, this review introduces novel perspectives on the correlation between retinal changes and PD pathophysiology, offering innovative approaches for early detection, disease progression monitoring, and therapeutic stratification., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes the most common type of severe lower respiratory tract infection worldwide, and the fusion (F) protein is a target for neutralizing antibodies and vaccine development. This study aimed to investigate the immunogenicity and efficacy of an mRNA-based RSV vaccine with an F protein sequence., Methods: We designed an mRNA construct encoding a modified RSV F protein, which was further developed into an LNP-encapsulated mRNA vaccine (LVRNA007). LVRNA007 was administered to mice and cotton rats, followed by immunogenicity analysis and viral challenge studies. Protection of rodents from the viral infection was evaluated based on the presence of the virus in the lung and pathological examination of respiratory tissues., Results: LVRNA007 induced robust humoral and cellular immune responses in both mice and cotton rats, with neutralization antibody levels in the immunized animals maintained at high levels for over one year. Vaccination of LVRNA007 also protected the rodents from RSV challenge, judged by the much decreased virus titer and the pathological score in the lung tissue. In addition, no vaccine-enhanced disease (VED) phenomenon was observed with LVRNA007 vaccination., Conclusions: Based on the preclinical immunogenicity and efficacy data, LVRNA007 could be a potential promising vaccine for prophylaxis of RSV infection.

Targeting the cardiomyocyte cell cycle is a promising strategy for heart repair following injury. Here, we identify a cardiac-regeneration-associated PIWI-interacting RNA (CRAPIR) as a regulator of cardiomyocyte proliferation. Genetic ablation or antagomir-mediated knockdown of CRAPIR in mice impairs cardiomyocyte proliferation and reduces heart regenerative potential. Conversely, overexpression of CRAPIR promotes cardiomyocyte proliferation, reduces infarct size and improves heart function after myocardial infarction. Mechanistically, CRAPIR promotes cardiomyocyte proliferation by competing with NF110 for binding to the RNA-binding protein PA2G4, thereby preventing the interaction of PA2G4 with the NF110-NF45 heterodimer and reducing NF110 degradation. The ability of CRAPIR to promote proliferation was confirmed in human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. Notably, CRAPIR serum levels are lower in individuals with ischemic heart disease and negatively correlate with levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide. These findings position CRAPIR both as a potential diagnostic marker for cardiac injury and as a therapeutic target for heart regeneration through the PA2G4-NF110-NF45 signaling axis., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) narrow linewidth lasers have served as the cornerstone behind applications such as autonomous driving, wearable technology, virtual reality, and remote sensing mapping. Strongly coherent lasers are typically used for these studies, with a clear demand for linear fast response and wide frequency tuning range. In this paper, profiting from the ultrahigh-quality factor of the crystalline whispering-gallery-mode resonator, by using a self-injection locking mechanism to suppress spontaneous emission noise and improve coherence, sub-kHz linewidth at 450 nm is obtained. Furthermore, based on the dispersive response principle, fast electrical tuning is realized by using the strain-influenced resonator, and the experimental test result reaches 81 pm/V. More importantly, we demonstrate the comprehensive performance of this type of FMCW laser in underwater detection, with a sensitivity of 319 MHz/m at a chirp frequency of 1 kHz.

Background: Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a major cause of low back pain (LBP), worsened by chronic inflammatory processes associated with aging. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (Tnf-α) and its receptors, Tnf receptor type 1 (Tnfr1) and Tnf receptor type 2 (Tnfr2), are upregulated in IVDD. However, its pathologic mechanisms remain poorly defined., Methods: To investigate the role of Tnfr in IVDD, we generated global Tnfr1/2 double knockout (KO) mice and age-matched control C57BL/6 male mice, and analyzed intervertebral disc (IVD)-related phenotypes of both genotypes under physiological conditions, aging, and lumbar spine instability (LSI) model through histological and immunofluorescence analyses and μCT imaging. Expression levels of key extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in aged and LSI mice, especially markers of cell proliferation and apoptosis, were evaluated in aged (21-month-old) mice., Results: At 4 months, KO and control mice showed no marked differences of IVDD-related parameters. However, at 21 months of age, the loss of Tnfr expression significantly alleviated IVDD-like phenotypes, including a significant increase in height of the nucleus pulposus (NPs) and reductions of endplates (EPs) porosity and histopathological scores, when compared to controls. Tnfr deficiency promoted anabolic metabolism of the ECM proteins and suppressed ECM catabolism. Tnfr loss largely inhibited hypertrophic differentiation, and, in the meantime, suppressed cell apoptosis and cellular senescence in the annulus fibrosis, NP, and EP tissues without affecting cell proliferation. Similar results were observed in the LSI model, where Tnfr deficiency significantly alleviated IVDD and enhanced ECM anabolic metabolism while suppressing catabolism., Conclusion: The deletion of Tnfr mitigates age-related and LSI-induced IVDD, as evidenced by preserved IVD structure, and improved ECM integrity. These findings suggest a crucial role of Tnf-α/Tnfr signaling in IVDD pathogenesis in mice. Targeting this pathway may be a novel strategy for IVDD prevention and treatment., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests., (© 2024 The Author(s). JOR Spine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Orthopaedic Research Society.)

Rabies is a lethal disease caused by the rabies virus (RABV), which causes acute neurological infections in mammals, including human beings. We previously reported that an mRNA vaccine (LVRNA001) encoding the rabies virus's glycoprotein induced strong protective immune responses to rabies in mice and dogs. Here, we further evaluate the safety of LVRNA001. First, we performed a confirmative efficacy study in dogs, which showed that LVRNA001 fully protected the animals from the virus, both pre- and post-infection. Moreover, using pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis murine models, we showed that LVRNA001, built from the CTN-1 strain, was able to protect against various representative RABV strains from the China I-VII clades. To evaluate the safety of the vaccine, chronic and reproductive toxicity studies were performed with cynomolgus macaques and rats, respectively. In a repeated-dose chronic toxicity study, vaccinated monkeys displayed no significant alterations in body weight, temperature, or hematological and biochemical markers. Lymphocyte subset measurement and histopathological examination showed that no toxicity was associated with the vaccine. The immunogenicity study in cynomolgus macaques demonstrated that LVRNA001 promoted the generation of neutralizing antibodies and Th1-biased immune response. Evaluation of reproductive toxicity in rats revealed that administration of LVRNA001 had no significant effects on fertility, maternal performance, reproductive processes, and postnatal outcomes. In conclusion, LVRNA001 can provide efficient protection against rabies virus infection in dogs and mice, and toxicity studies showed no significant vaccine-related adverse effects, suggesting that LVRNA001 is a promising and safe vaccine candidate for rabies prophylaxis and therapy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonators have high-quality factors and can be used in high-sensitivity sensors due to the narrow line width that allows for the detection of small external changes. In this paper, a force-sensing system based on a high-Q asymmetric V-shaped CaF 2 resonator is proposed. Based on the dispersion coupling mechanism, the deformation of the resonator is achieved by loading force, and the resonant frequency is changed to determine the measurement. By adjusting the structural parameters of the asymmetric V-shaped resonator, the deformation of the resonator under force loading is improved. The experimental results show that the sensitivity of the V-shaped tip is 18.84 V/N, which determines the force-sensing resolution of 8.49 μN. This work provides a solution for force-sensing measurements based on a WGM resonator.

Background: The effectiveness of cervical perivascular sympathectomy (CPVS) in enhancing upper limb motor function in children with cerebral palsy is unclear, and the factors that influence the effectiveness of the surgery have not been documented., Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of CPVS in enhancing upper limb motor function in children with cerebral palsy and develop a predictive chart for potential associated adverse outcomes METHODS: The study included 187 children with cerebral palsy who underwent CPVS at the Cerebral Palsy Center, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, between January 2018 and January 2022. Patients were categorized into two groups based on prognostic outcomes: those with adverse and favorable prognoses. Demographic and laboratory data were collected and analyzed from both groups. To identify independent predictors of poor post-CPVS upper limb motor function outcomes, statistical techniques, including univariate analysis and binary logistic regression, were applied. Subsequently, these predictors were integrated to formulate a comprehensive predictive model., Results: In this cohort of 187 children with cerebral palsy undergoing CPVS, 68 (36.36%) exhibited a favorable prognosis for upper limb motor function and 119 (63.64%) demonstrated an adverse prognosis. Age, motor function, and serum albumin levels were identified as significant prognostic factors via logistic regression analysis. To develop the model, we divided the sample into a training set (70%, n = 131) and a validation set (30%, n = 56). Employing motor function, serum albumin levels, and age as variables, we crafted a predictive model. The model's performance, reflected by the area under the curve was 0.813 (0.732, 0.894) in the training set and 0.770 (0.647, 0.892) in the validation set, demonstrating its robust predictive capability for post-CPVS adverse outcomes. Furthermore, the consistency curve and Hosmer-Lemeshow test (χ 2 = 8.808, p = 0.359) illustrated a strong concordance between the model's predictions of poor prognosis and the actual incidence rate., Conclusion: CPVS has been shown to be effective in improving upper limb motor function in patients with cerebral palsy. Independent prognostic factors identified encompass motor function, age, and serum albumin levels. The composite predictive model shows potential for clinical applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no competing financial interests or personal relationships with other persons or organisations., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)