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Abstract In the production and construction process of a slowly inclined composite coal seam surface mine in China, the problem of coal compression by the non-working slope is common, but the research on coal recovery is usually conducted for the end slope compression problem. Due to the small economic and reasonable stripping ratio in the early stage of infrastructure construction in an open-pit mine, the buried deep coal seam has not yet been mined and is covered by internal dumping. In recent years, with the gradual increase of the economic and reasonable stripping ratio, the mining of coal seam covered by internal dumping site has become feasible. This paper puts forward the mining scheme for this problem. In this paper, a mathematical model is established, and the trench between the inner dump and the non-working side is used as the working platform for coal seam mining. The relationship between stripping height, working line length and mining width of coal seam is studied. The variation law of production stripping ratio, remining amount, repeated stripping amount and mining width is further analyzed. At the same time, the influence of production stripping cost on the economic and reasonable stripping ratio is studied, and the relationship between transportation cost and discharge distance is established, so as to indirectly determine the relationship between mining width and economic and reasonable stripping ratio. Finally, it is found that the relationship between mining net income and mining width is first proportional and then inversely proportional. Taking an open-pit mine as an example, through the quantitative analysis of economic indicators, the net income of coal mining under different mining widths is calculated. The results show that when the mining width is 271 m, the economic benefit of the inner row mining is the highest, and the net income reaches 2021.4575 million yuan. At this time, the production stripping ratio is 5.25, which is less than the economic and reasonable stripping ratio of 6.95. The practical significance of the results is to improve the overall economic benefits and recovery rate of mining enterprises, and ensure the safe, green and efficient mining of mines.

Abstract Accurate indoor positioning is the key to the development of the Internet of Things and intelligent devices. In view of GPS-denied indoor environments, we propose to build the indoor local positioning system by using ultra-wide band (UWB) system. In order to enhance the localization accuracy of UWB system, we propose a novel algorithm which integrates the Maximum Correntropy Criterion (MCC) and unscented Kalman filter (UKF) method to reconstruct the measurement distance by using the maximum entropy principle to reduce the influence of outliers and unknown process noise on the smooth effect. Subsequently, the least square (LS) method is implemented to attain the target node (TN) initial position coordinates, and the Taylor algorithm is then performed to further optimize the localization results of the LS method. Lastly, the experimental investigation is conducted to assess the effectiveness and applicability of the developed method via the UWB system in indoor scenarios. The experimental outcomes demonstrate that the developed MCCUKF-LS method can achieve the lowest root mean square error (RMSE), and enhance the positioning accuracy of the TN compared with the LS, KF-LS, and UKF-LS methods. The overall average RMSE of MCCUKF-LS method is reduced by 45.7% contracted with the LS algorithm. The average error of x-, y- and z-axis orientation for the LS method is reduced from 0.074 m, 0.067 m, 0.098 m to 0.036 m, 0.034 m, 0.044 m, and the achieved accuracy in the orientation of the three axes is increased by 51.4%, 49.3% and 55.1% respectively, which reveals that the designed fusion technique is capable of enhancing the positioning accuracy of the TN effectively, providing a new positioning methodology and reference for indoor positioning in GPS-denied environments.

Introduction: Spinal teratomas are rare, accounting for nearly 0.2–0.5% of all spinal tumors and 2% of all teratomas. Teratomas at the conus medullaris location do not inherently lead to epilepsy. However, potential epileptic seizures are caused when teratoma ruptures and the chemical stimulation of teratoma components enter the dural sac. Case Presentation: A 31-year-old Asian male patient suffering from epileptic onset and poor antiepileptic treatment was demonstrated. The spinal imaging examination was performed, and the patient suffered a space-occupying lesion within the conus medullaris related to spinal deformity, spinal embolism, etc. The autoimmune encephalitis spectrum revealed mGluR5 antibody IgG (+) 1:10 response. The patient stabilized after treatment with hormones and human immunoglobulin. Some hair and lipid droplets could be observed in the dural sac intraoperatively, and more hair and lipid-like material were present in the spinal cord. Postoperative pathology established the diagnosis as a conus medullaris teratoma in adults. Epileptic seizures stopped after surgery, and no additional seizures were reported during the 33-month follow-up period. Conclusions: Conus medullaris teratoma rupture in adults rarely causes epileptic seizures. For spinal deformity patients with unexplained epileptic symptoms, spinal MRI can be helpful in early diagnosis, and more appropriate treatment improves disease prognosis.

Abstract Rock and soil strength profoundly influences the stability of open-pit mine slopes. Traditional slope design, based on limited drilling data, often disregards inherent uncertainties. Effectively utilizing new sample information from mining operations poses a challenge, hindering dynamic and differentiated design for the entire perimeter slope. To address this, we propose a dynamic optimization method considering rock mass strength uncertainty for the entire perimeter slope. Our approach involves designing slope angles separately in different zones, while thoroughly considering decision-makers' preferences. Furthermore, we delegate the final adjustment authority of slope angles within the safety permissible range to on-site decision-makers. Compared to traditional methods, our dynamic design method incorporates rock mass strength uncertainty into slope evaluation while also accounting for decision-makers' safety and economic preferences. Through a case study of a specific open-pit mine, our proposed dynamic design method increases the overall slope angle by approximately 2.5°, fully accommodating the influence of on-site decision-making preferences on slope design. This article introduces a new method of dynamic optimization of open-pit mine slope based on simplified observation method, which improves the flexibility of decision-making and realizes the differential design of the whole surrounding slope.

Abstract Background The effect of neoadjuvant immunotherapy on minimally invasive gastrectomy (MIG) in older patients with gastric cancer remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the safety, and efficacy of MIG for older patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy (NICT). Methods The clinical data of 726 older patients aged over 65 years who underwent upfront MIG or MIG after NICT in the Department of General Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital First Medical Center between Jan 2020 and Nov 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis at a ratio of 1:2 was performed to reduce bias from confounding patient-related variables, short- and long-term outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results The baseline characteristics were comparable between 61 patients in the NICT-MIG group and 114 patients in the MIG group after PSM (P > 0.05). The major pathological response (MPR) rate and pathological complete response (pCR) rate were 44.2% and 21.3%, respectively, in the NICT-MIG group. Patients in the NICT-MIG group had longer operation times (P = 0.005) and postoperative days (P = 0.030) than those in the MIG group. No significant differences were found in intraoperative bleeding, number of retrieved lymph nodes, first flatus day, R0 resection rate, overall postoperative complication (POC) morbidity, severe POC morbidity, 2-year overall, and recurrence-free survival between the MIG and NICT-MIG groups (P > 0.05). Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that an estimated blood loss > 200 mL (P = 0.010) and a lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) ≤ 3.25 (P = 0.006) were independent risk factors for POCs after MIG in older patients. Conclusion The safety, and efficacy of NICT-MIG were comparable to those of upfront MIG in older patients with GC. Patients with an estimated blood loss > 200 mL or an LMR ≤ 3.25 should be carefully evaluated for an increased risk of POCs in older patients who undergo MIG. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Registration Number: ChiCTR2400086827).

Abstract As mechanized open-pit coal mining intensifies, assessing and predicting slope stability has become increasingly important. To address the limitations of traditional mechanical calculations, numerical simulations, and physical experiments, this paper identifies the key factors impacting slope stability in open-pit mines and develops a multi-parameter sample data set. The study employs hyperparameters optimized using a Bayesian algorithm, introduces additional convolutional layers, and combines the Adam optimizer with dropout techniques to enhance the feature extraction and performance of one-dimensional convolutional neural networks (1D-CNN). This leads to a Bayesian-optimized one-dimensional convolutional neural network (B-1D MCNN) model for predicting slope stability.The study evaluates the classification performance and accuracy of various models for slope stability, including BP neural networks, genetic algorithm-optimized convolutional neural networks, 1D-CNN, and B-1D MCNN, using accuracy, precision, and F1-score as metrics. The analysis also examines the influence of factor indicators and training set length on the model's output to assess its generalization capabilities.The research findings suggest that: (1) the B-1D MCNN model for evaluating slope stability demonstrates the capability to accurately depict the nonlinear correlation between influencing factors and slope stability. (2) Compared with other models, the B-1D MCNN model has shown enhancements of 10.96% to 27.85%, 10.26% to 28.55%, and 8.98% to 25.05% in terms of Accuracy, F1-Score, and Precision, respectively. (3) As the length of the training dataset increases, the performance of the model improves accordingly. (4) The B-1D MCNN model shows a generalization power of 87.5%.

Abstract Pain is estimated to affect more than 20% of the global population, imposing incalculable health and economic burdens. Effective pain management is crucial for individuals suffering from pain. However, the current methods for pain assessment and treatment fall short of clinical needs. Benefiting from advances in neuroscience and biotechnology, the neuronal circuits and molecular mechanisms critically involved in pain modulation have been elucidated. These research achievements have incited progress in identifying new diagnostic and therapeutic targets. In this review, we first introduce fundamental knowledge about pain, setting the stage for the subsequent contents. The review next delves into the molecular mechanisms underlying pain disorders, including gene mutation, epigenetic modification, posttranslational modification, inflammasome, signaling pathways and microbiota. To better present a comprehensive view of pain research, two prominent issues, sexual dimorphism and pain comorbidities, are discussed in detail based on current findings. The status quo of pain evaluation and manipulation is summarized. A series of improved and innovative pain management strategies, such as gene therapy, monoclonal antibody, brain-computer interface and microbial intervention, are making strides towards clinical application. We highlight existing limitations and future directions for enhancing the quality of preclinical and clinical research. Efforts to decipher the complexities of pain pathology will be instrumental in translating scientific discoveries into clinical practice, thereby improving pain management from bench to bedside.

The global spread of viral respiratory infections continues to pose a substantial threat to human health, exacerbating the societal burden. Timely and precise detection of viruses is pivotal in mitigating pandemic transmission. Currently, the prevalent diagnostic techniques for viruses include real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and colloidal gold assays. However, intricate workflows and protracted processing times of RT-qPCR and ELISA preclude real-time diagnostics, despite their high accuracy. Colloidal gold assays offer rapid turnaround. However, their accuracy and sensitivity are limited, particularly in the context of emerging variants like SARS-CoV-2, which renders them suboptimal test tools. Mounting evidence suggests that surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), with its streamlined operation, rapid analysis, high specificity and sensitivity, holds significant potential as a superior alternative test tool. This review consolidates various SERS-based approaches for detecting respiratory infection virus (RIV) and delineates their characteristics. The unique strengths of SERS technology, including its exceptional sensitivity, robust specificity, and expedited turnaround times, earmark it as particularly well-suited for large-scale instant screening of viral infections within populations.

Sanqi (SQ), as a health food, is clinically used as an effective complementary therapy for treating multiple cancers with the advantages of immunomodulatory potential. Nevertheless, the efficacy and the underlying mechanism of combining SQ and PD-1 inhibitors remain inconclusive. In this study, we examined the anti-lung cancer effects of SQ in combination with PD-1 inhibitors in tumor-bearing mice. We found that PD-1 inhibitors and SQ combined treatment significantly inhibited tumor growth in tumor-bearing mice. Following the administration of SQ combined with PD-1 inhibitors, there was an increase in the levels of Glycolaldehyde and N-Acetyl-D-glucosamine in the plasma of mice, while the levels of 1,4-Dihydro-1-methyl-4-oxo-3-pyridinecarboxamide decreased. Specifically, SQ supplementation increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as Aerococcus, while reducing the levels of pathogenic bacteria, including norank_f_norank_o_Clostridia_UCG-014, Candidatus_Saccharimonas, and Bilophila. Our data suggested that a combination of PD-1 inhibitors and SQ treatment may be a novel therapeutic strategy for lung cancer patients.

Abstract Basal progenitor cells are crucial for maintaining foregut (the esophagus and forestomach) homeostasis. When their function is dysregulated, it can promote inflammation and tumorigenesis. However, the mechanisms underlying these processes remain largely unclear. Here, we employ genetic mouse models to reveal that Jag1/2 regulate esophageal homeostasis and foregut tumorigenesis by modulating the function of basal progenitor cells. Deletion of Jag1/2 in mice disrupts esophageal and forestomach epithelial homeostasis. Mechanistically, Jag1/2 deficiency impairs activation of Notch signaling, leading to reduced squamous epithelial differentiation and expansion of basal progenitor cells. Moreover, Jag1/2 deficiency exacerbates the deoxycholic acid (DCA)-induced squamous epithelial injury and accelerates the initiation of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in the forestomach. Importantly, expression levels of JAG1/2 are lower in the early stages of human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) carcinogenesis. Collectively, our study demonstrates that Jag1/2 are important for maintaining esophageal and forestomach homeostasis and the onset of foregut SCC.

Abstract Childhood and adolescence are a critical period for the onset of mental and neurodevelopmental disorders and a time when many can be first identified. Research demonstrates that mental health literacy applied in school settings may be an effective approach to address these challenges. In contrast to many existing studies conducted in multicultural and multilingual settings that treated subjects’ language as a demographic feature, the present study recognizes English proficiency as a social-cognitive factor and views the school-based mental health literacy (MHL) intervention as a learning process. The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of school-based mental health literacy intervention and explore how ethnicity and English proficiency as a social-cognitive factor, as a modified, rather than a fixed variable, impacted the intervention outcomes. Grade 9 students (n = 240) from schools in West Canada with diverse social/cultural background received the intervention in the classroom delivered by trained teachers and completed the pre-test and post-test over a 6-month period. The intervention was effective in improving knowledge and help-seeking attitudes among all students. Non-Chinese and native English-speaking students performed the best on all outcomes. Gender demonstrated an association with changes in stigma, stress and wellbeing. English proficiency was linked to knowledge acquisition, while ethnicity was connected to changes of attitude-related outcomes. These findings deepened our understanding of how demographic and social-cognitive factors underlie changes in mental health literacy outcomes, which will facilitate the development of mental health literacy interventions for diverse student populations.

Abstract Metal–N–C single‐atom catalysts, mostly prepared from pyrolysis of metal‐organic precursors, are widely used in heterogeneous electrocatalysis. Since metal sites with diverse local structures coexist in this type of material and it is challenging to characterize the local structure, a reliable structure–property relationship is difficult to establish. Conjugated macrocyclic complexes adsorbed on carbon support are well‐defined models to mimic the single‐atom catalysts. Metal–N4 site with four electroneutral pyridine‐type ligands embedded in a graphene layer is the most commonly proposed structure of the active site of single‐atom catalysts, but its molecular counterpart has not been reported. In this work, we synthesized the conjugated macrocyclic complexes with a metal center (Co, Fe, or Ni) coordinated with four electroneutral pyridinic ligands as model catalysts for CO2 electroreduction. For comparison, the complexes with anionic quadri‐pyridine macrocyclic ligand were also prepared. The Co complex with the electroneutral ligand expressed a turnover frequency of CO formation more than an order of magnitude higher than that of the Co complex with the anionic ligand. Constrained ab initio molecular dynamics simulations based on the well‐defined structures of the model catalysts indicate that the Co complex with the electroneutral ligand possesses a stronger ability to mediate electron transfer from carbon to CO2.

IntroductionCommon, consumer-grade biosensors mounted on fitness trackers and smartwatches can measure an array of biometrics that have potential utility in post-discharge medical monitoring, especially in remote/rural communities. The feasibility characteristics for wrist-worn biosensors are poorly described for post-COVID conditions and rural populations.MethodsWe prospectively recruited patients in rural communities who were enrolled in an at-home rehabilitation program for post-COVID conditions. They were asked to wear a FitBit Charge 2 device and biosensor parameters were analyzed [e.g. heart rate, sleep, and activity]. Electronic patient reported outcome measures [E-PROMS] for mental [bi-weekly] and physical [daily] symptoms were collected using SMS text or email [per patient preference]. Exit surveys and interviews evaluated the patient experience.ResultsTen patients were observed for an average of 58 days and half [N = 5] were monitored for 8 weeks or more. Five patients [50%] had been hospitalized with COVID [mean stay = 41 days] and 4 [36%] had required mechanical ventilation. As baseline, patients had moderate to severe levels of anxiety, depression, and stress; fatigue and shortness of breath were the most prevalent physical symptoms. Four patients [40%] already owned a smartwatch. In total, 575 patient days of patient monitoring occurred across 10 patients. Biosensor data was usable for 91.3% of study hours and surveys were completed 82.1% and 78.7% of the time for physical and mental symptoms, respectively. Positive correlations were observed between stress and resting heart rate [r = 0.360, pConclusionsWe report excellent feasibility characteristics for wrist-worn biosensors and e-PROMS as a possible substrate for multi-modal disease tracking in post-COVID conditions. Adapting consumer-grade wearables for medical use and scalable remote patient monitoring holds great potential.

The relationship between bacteria and tumors has been the hot spot of clinical research in recent years. Pseudoglutamicibacter cumminsii is an aerobic Gram-positive bacterium commonly found in soil. Recent studies have identified P. cumminsii in patients with cutaneous and urinary tract infections. However, little is known on its pathogenesis as well as involvement in other clinical symptoms. In this study, we first report the isolation of P. cumminsii in blood of an epithelial mesothelioma patient. The clinical and laboratory characteristics of P. cumminsii were first described and evaluated. The pure colony of P. cumminsii was then identified using automated microorganism identification system and mass spectrum. The whole genome of the newly identified strain was sequenced with third generation sequencing (TGS). The assembled genome was further annotated and analyzed. Whole genomic and comparative genomic analysis revealed that the isolated P. cumminsii strain in this study had a genome size of 2,179,930 bp and had considerable unique genes compared with strains reported in previous findings. Further phylogenetic analysis showed that this strain had divergent phylogenetic relationship with other P. cumminsii strains. Based on these results, the newly found P. cumminsii strain was named P. cumminsii XJ001 (PC1). Virulence analysis identified a total of 71 pathogenic genes with potential roles in adherence, immune modulation, nutrition/metabolism, and regulation in PC1. Functional analysis demonstrated that the annotated genes in PC1 were mainly clustered into amino acid metabolism (168 genes), carbohydrate metabolism (107 genes), cofactor and vitamin metabolisms (98 genes), and energy metabolism (68 genes). Specifically, six genes including yodJ, idh, katA, pyk, sodA, and glsA were identified within cancer pathways, and their corresponding homologous genes have been documented with precise roles in human cancer. Collectively, the above results first identified P. cumminsii in the blood of tumor patients and further provide whole genomic landscape of the newly identified PC1 strain, shedding light on future studies of bacteria in tumorigenesis.

Accumulating evidence has proved the close association between alterations in gut microbiota and resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. However, the potential roles of gut microbiota in regulating oxaliplatin sensitivity in gastric cancer (GC) have not been investigated before. We first found that antibiotic treatment diminished the therapeutic efficacy of oxaliplatin in a GC mouse model. Importantly, this effect could be transmitted to germ-free mice via fecal microbiota transplantation, indicating a potential role of gut microbiota modulation in oxaliplatin efficacy. Further, metagenomics data showed that Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila) ranked first among the bacterial species with decreased relative abundances after antibiotic treatment. Metabolically active A. muciniphila promotes oxaliplatin efficacy. As shown by metabolomics analysis, the metabolic pattern of gut microbiota was disrupted with significantly downregulated levels of pentadecanoic acid (PEA), and the use of PEA significantly promoted oxaliplatin efficacy. Mechanistically, FUBP1 positively regulated aerobic glycolysis of GC cells to hinder the therapeutic efficacy of oxaliplatin. A. muciniphila-derived PEA functioned as an inhibitory factor of glycolysis by directly antagonizing the activity of FUBP1, which potentiated GC responses to oxaliplatin. Our research suggested a key role for intestinal A. muciniphila and its metabolite PEA in promoting oxaliplatin efficacy, thus providing a new perspective for probiotic and prebiotic intervention in GC patients during chemotherapy.

Study region: Two typical mountainous Haihe River Basins: The Xiaojue Basin and the Yehe River Basin Study focuses: The mountainous Haihe River Basin has suffered from a water crisis duo to large-scale restoration. Quantifying the hydrological impacts of vegetation restoration is necessary for local water management. In this study, we used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrological model, in combination with two vegetation restoration scenarios, to analyze the effects of vegetation restoration on runoff and its runoff components (surface runoff, baseflow, and total runoff) New hydrological insights for the region: Our results indicated a general decrease in surface runoff and an increase in baseflow as a result of vegetation restoration. At the seasonal timescale, total runoff and surface runoff decreases mainly concentrated in the flood season, and slightly increased in the non-flood season, and baseflow showed the opposite trend during the flood-season in the Xiaojue and Yehe River Basin. The magnitude of change in runoff components in the Yehe River Basin was higher than that in the Xiaojue Basin, and the Yehe River Basin has a larger water yield capability. This study advances our knowledge on the way in which vegetation affects runoff and offers recommendations for water resources management

Although schizophrenia patients exhibit structural abnormalities in the striatum, it remains largely unknown for the role of the striatum subregions in the treatment response of antipsychotic drugs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between the striatal subregions and improved clinical symptoms in first-episode drug-naïve (FEDN) schizophrenia. Forty-two FEDN schizophrenia patients and 29 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. At baseline, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to assess the clinical symptoms of patients, MRI scanner was used to obtain anatomical images of patients and HCs. After 12-week stable doses of risperidone treatment, clinical symptoms were obtained in 38 patients and anatomical images in 26 patients. After 12 weeks of treatment, the left nucleus accumbens volume decreased, whereas the left pallidum volume increased in schizophrenia patients. The decreased left nucleus accumbens volume was positively correlated with cognitive factor improvement measured by PANSS. Intriguingly, greater left nucleus accumbens volume at baseline predicted greater cognitive improvements. Furthermore, the responders who had >50 % improvement in cognitive symptoms exhibited significantly greater baseline left nucleus accumbens volume compared to non-responders. The left striatum volume at baseline and after treatment predicted the cognitive improvements in FEDN schizophrenia, which could be a potential biomarker for the development of precision medicine approaches targeting cognitive function.

The paper presents finite element (FE) simulations of an unstiffened plate specimen punched by a rigid indenter, to study their fracture behaviors and energy dissipation mechanisms. Load-displacement curves from the numerical results are presented for various indenter radii i.e., 35, 50, 65, 80, and 95 mm. Moreover, the outcomes of this investigation should have relevance to estimating grounding scenarios in which the bottom sustains local penetration. The numerical analysis includes the benchmarking study that is based on experimental data to ensure that the current result has satisfactory accuracy. It is concluded that the indenter radii play an important role in the crushing resistance of the plate, especially having a significant influence on the maximum force. Compared with the 35 mm cone radii, the maximum force measured in the tests increased by 110.97 % in the 95 mm indenter radius. Furthermore, the energy absorption produced by the 95 mm cone radius has a higher value at 32.23 kJ compared to 10.1 kJ, which was obtained from a 35 mm cone radius. Discussions on the effects of indenter velocities are also included in this study.

Abstract Discerning weak electric fields has important implications for cosmology, quantum technology, and identifying power system failures. Photonic integration of electric field sensors is highly desired for practical considerations and offers opportunities to improve performance by enhancing microwave and lightwave interactions. Here, we demonstrate a high-Q microcavity electric field sensor (MEFS) by leveraging the silicon chip-based thin film lithium niobate photonic integrated circuits. Using the Pound-Drever-Hall detection scheme, our MEFS achieves a detection sensitivity of 5.2 μV/(m $$\sqrt{{{{{{{{\rm{Hz}}}}}}}}}$$ Hz ), which surpasses previous lithium niobate electro-optical electric field sensors by nearly two orders of magnitude, and is comparable to atom-based quantum sensing approaches. Furthermore, our MEFS has a bandwidth that can be up to three orders of magnitude broader than quantum sensing approaches and measures fast electric field amplitude and phase variations in real-time. The ultra-sensitive MEFSs represent a significant step towards building electric field sensing networks and broaden the application spectrum of integrated microcavities.

Transactive energy (TE) as a market-based mechanism provides a practical framework to fully manage and control local energy networks with a high penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs). However, the existing designed TE frameworks can rarely encourage prosumers to participate fairly owing to neglecting competition and cooperation. This paper proposes a tri-layer hybrid game-based TE framework, wherein the cooperation of prosumers to trade energy in a peer-to-peer (P2P) fashion is considered in the first layer using the Nash Bargaining Game (NBG) Theory. The competition among prosumers to trade with the most affordable aggregator is modeled at the second layer using the evolutionary game (EG). The third layer also models the competition among aggregators and the competition between aggregators and the cooperation of prosumers by developing a non-cooperative game. Besides, a scale-independent distributionally robust optimization (DRO) is developed based on the Wasserstein ambiguity set to allow prosumers to manage their uncertainty using all potential historical data while ensuring tractability. Finally, a new adaptive proximal alternative direction method of multipliers (ADMM) is introduced to develop a distributed-decentralized decision-making scheme for satisfying network constraints and energy trading in a P2P manner to accelerate the solution procedure and preserve privacy. The tests and implementations demonstrate that the proposed tri-layer TE framework lowered the overall costs for prosumers by 11 % and 2.85 % compared to the total costs in non-cooperative TE and cooperative TE, respectively.

Abstract Nearly a quarter of bipolar disorder (BD) patients were misdiagnosed as major depressive disorder (MDD) patients, which cannot be corrected until mania/hypomania develops. It is important to recognize these obstacles so that the appropriate treatment can be initiated. Thus, we sought to distinguish patients with BD from MDD, especially to identify misdiagnosed BD before mania/hypomania, and further explore potential trait features that allow accurate differential diagnosis independent of state matters. Functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were performed at baseline on 92 MDD patients and 48 BD patients. The MDD patients were then followed up for more than two years. After follow-up, 23 patients transformed into BD (tBD), and 69 patients whose diagnoses remained unchanged were eligible for unipolar depression (UD). A support vector machine classifier was trained on the amygdala-based functional connectivity (FC) of 48 BD and 50 UD patients using a novel region-based feature selection. Then, the classifier was tested on the dataset, encompassing tBD and the remaining UD. It performed well for known BD and UD and can also distinguish tBD from UD with an accuracy of 81%, sensitivity of 82.6%, specificity of 79%, and AUC of 74.6%, respectively. Feature selection results revealed that ten regions within the cortico-limbic neural circuit contributed most to classification. Furthermore, in the FC comparisons among diseases, BD and tBD shared almost overlapped FC patterns in the cortico-limbic neural circuit, and both of them presented pronounced differences in most regions within the circuit compared with UD. The FC values of the most discriminating brain regions had no prominent correlations with the severity of depression, anxiety, and mania/hypomania (FDR correction). It suggests that BD possesses some trait features in the cortico-limbic neural circuit, rendering it dichotomized by the classifier based on known-diagnosis data.

This paper proposes a method for dynamically controlling the working slope configuration in seasonal stripping open-pit coal mines. Constructing a bench group working slope model calculates the cyclic advancement time of the stripping working slope. A mathematical optimization model is then established to minimize the transport work of the overburden, and a Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) algorithm is employed to solve it. The method is applied to the Shengli West No. 2 open-pit coal mine, and the results show that the number of benches in the bench group is 5. The working bench width is 89 m, and the working slope advancement meets the stripping and mining engineering continuity requirements while minimizing the transport work of the overburden. The maximum advancement speed of the working slope under this configuration is 320 m/year. The paper also analyzes the working slope’s maximum advancement speed variation with changes in the bench combination form and cyclic advancement distance.

Abstract To address the problem of excessive local secondary stripping between adjacent mining areas in open pit mines caused by internal row raising, a multivariate function was fitted to the model of the main mining seam of Zhundong open pit coal mine in Xinjiang, and the different locations of the end gang of the second mining area were divided into multiple sections at certain step sizes and calculated by integration, resulting in stripping ratios for each section, which were fitted to a stripping ratio curve. The optimal location of the mining area boundary was found to be 55 m westward offset from the mining area boundary in the inner row of the raised section, and numerical simulations based on the strength reduction method were applied to analyse the slope stability of the end gang at this location. The results of the study show that the analysed slope meets the stability requirements and the optimised new boundary avoids the stripping of approximately 65,837,376 m3 of economically unreasonable section.

Abstract Background Anal fistula is a common benign anorectal disease that often requires surgical intervention for effective treatment. In recent years, preoperative colonoscopy as a diagnostic tool in patients with anal fistula has garnered increasing attention due to its potential clinical application value. By investigating underlying inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), polyps, and other abnormalities, preoperative colonoscopy can offer insights to refine surgical strategies and improve patient outcomes. Methods This retrospective study focused on 1796 patients with various benign anorectal diseases who underwent preoperative intestinal endoscopy and met surgical criteria within the preceding three years at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Among these patients, 949 diagnosed with anal fistula comprised group A, while 847 patients without anal fistula were assigned to group B for comparison. The investigation encompassed an analysis of general patient information, endoscopic findings, polyp histopathology, distribution of bowel inflammation sites, and results of inflammatory bowel disease assessments between the two patient cohorts. A subgroup analysis was also conducted on 2275 anal fistula patients with no surgical contraindications. This subgroup was categorized into Group A (949 patients who underwent preoperative intestinal endoscopy) and Group C (1326 patients who did not undergo preoperative colonoscopy). The study compared the rates of detecting endoscopic lesions and IBD-related findings between the two subgroups. Results The study initially confirmed the comparability of general patient information between groups A and B. Notably, the abnormal detection rate in group A was significantly higher than in group B (P 0.05). Subsequently, the analysis of the subgroup (groups A and C) revealed a significant disparity in intestinal endoscopic detection rates (P

Albedo is a primary driver of the glacier surface energy balance and consequent melting. As glacier albedo decreases, it further accelerates glacier melting. Over the past 20 years, glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau have experienced significant melting. However, our understanding of the variations in glacier albedo and its driving factors in this region remains limited. This study used MOD10A1 data to examine the average characteristics and variations in glacier albedo on the Tibetan Plateau from 2001 to 2022; the MOD10A1 snow cover product, developed at the National Snow and Ice Data Center, was employed to analyze spatiotemporal variations in surface albedo. The results indicate that the albedo values of glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau predominantly range between 0.50 and 0.60, with distinctly higher albedo in spring and winter, and lower albedo in summer and autumn. Glacier albedo on the Tibetan Plateau decreased at an average linear regression rate of 0.06 × 10−2 yr−1 over the past two decades, with the fastest declines occurring in autumn at an average rate of 0.18 × 10−2 yr−1, contributing to the prolongation of the melting period. Furthermore, significant variations in albedo change rates with altitude were found near the snowline, which is attributed to the transformation of the snow and ice surface. The primary factors affecting glacier albedo on the Tibetan Plateau are temperature and snowfall, whereas in the Himalayas, black carbon and dust primarily influence glacier albedo. Our findings reveal a clear decrease in glacier albedo on the Tibetan Plateau and demonstrate that seasonal and spatial variations in albedo and temperature are the most important driving factors. These insights provide valuable information for further investigation into surface albedo and glacier melt.

Intense interest surrounds current research on psychedelics, particularly regarding their potential in treating mental health disorders. Various studies suggest a link between the subjective effects produced by psychedelics and their therapeutic efficacy. Neuroimaging evidence indicates an association of changes in brain functional connectivity with the subjective effects of psychedelics. We conducted a review focusing on psychedelics and brain functional connectivity. The review focused on four psychedelic drugs: ayahuasca, psilocybin and LSD, and the entactogen MDMA. We conducted searches in databases of MEDLINE, Embase, APA PsycInfo and Scopus from inception to Jun 2023 by keywords related to functional connectivity and psychedelics. Using the PRISMA framework, we selected 24 articles from an initial pool of 492 for analysis. This scoping review and analysis investigated the effects of psychedelics on subjective experiences and brain functional connectivity in healthy individuals. The studies quantified subjective effects through psychometric scales, revealing significant experiences of altered consciousness, mood elevation, and mystical experiences induced by psychedelics. Neuroimaging results indicated alterations in the functional connectivity of psychedelics, with consistent findings across substances of decreased connectivity within the default mode network and increased sensory and thalamocortical connectivity. Correlations between these neurophysiological changes and subjective experiences were noted, suggesting a brain network basis of the psychedelics’ neuropsychological impact. While the result of the review provides a potential neural mechanism of the subjective effects of psychedelics, direct clinical evidence is needed to advance their clinical outcomes. Our research serves as a foundation for further exploration of the therapeutic potential of psychedelics.

Bioinspired, bistable snap-through structures are promising to release a burst of mechanical energy transformed from chemical energy, stored, and released incrementally during swelling/deswelling. Thin, disk-like hopper can harness the inhomogeneous deswelling to create the required constraint and flexible snap-through part. Here, hoppers composed of a single type of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) or concentric PDMS rimmed by a stiffer PDMS are cast into precisely micromachined molds. The mechanical properties and swelling/deswelling behavior of the constraining rim and flexible snap-through materials, in concert, allow a superior specific power of 1782 W kg−1, specific energy of 4.44 J kg−1 for a jump up to 321 mm, outperforming many more complex implementations. The jump benefits from an improved storage modulus ratio and a lower swell of the rim to the snap-through center part, which enhanced the confinement and elastic energy storage. A sharp spatial gradient in volume change between the two materials during deswelling, tunable by the porosity of the rim materials, enhances the jumping by allowing more material to store and release elastic energy, revealed by the strain analysis with 3D-digital image correlation. The illustrated multimaterials and porous materials strategies can promote the development of integrated energy harvesting and actuation for soft robotics.

Objectives: To enhance the ability of predicting self-harm behaviors through multidimensional data and machine learning methods, and provide a foundation for future comprehensive interventions. Methods: One hundred and twelve young adults aged 18-22 years with self-harm behaviors participated in this study as an experimental group, 98 in the control group. Eighty-three social-demographic and genetic features were collected and analyzed by an extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) approach. Results: We found significant differences in social-demographic and genetic features between the self-harm and control groups (p

Abstract Multimode fiber (MMF) lasers are emerging as a remarkable testbed to study nonlinear spatiotemporal physics with potential applications spanning from high energy pulse generation, precision measurement to nonlinear microscopy. The underlying mechanism for the generation of ultrashort pulses, which can be understood as a spatiotempoal dissipative soliton (STDS), in the nonlinear multimode resonators is the spatiotemporal mode-locking (STML) with simultaneous synchronization of temporal and spatial modes. In this review, we first introduce the general principles of STML, with an emphasize on the STML dynamics with large intermode dispersion. Then, we present the recent progress of STML, including measurement techniques for STML, exotic nonlinear dynamics of STDS, and mode field engineering in MMF lasers. We conclude by outlining some perspectives that may advance STML in the near future.

Due to the discontinuity of the stripping project in seasonal stripping open-pit coal mines, the untimely advance distance of the working slope is huge. In order to reduce the advance stripping and save the stripping distance, research was carried out on dynamic control of the shape of the working slope and optimization of the limit advance speed of the working slope in seasonal stripped open-pit coal mines. This paper explains the shape and operation procedure of the working slope in seasonal stripped open-pit coal mines and analyzes factors that influence working slope shape and advance speed. Based on structural form of working slope and stripping operation mode of seasonally stripped open-pit coal mines, an engineering model for shape optimization of working slope is established. The relationship between circular advance distance of working slope with working bench width and exposed coal mode of stope is discussed. Bench group cycle advance engineering quantity and production capacity of layered equipment, advance time of the working slope cycle and calculation method for reliability of side slope transportation system are given. With optimization goal of minimizing transport work of stripping material and time-space continuity of stripping engineering as constraint condition, mathematical model for shape optimization of working slope in seasonally stripped open-pit coal mine is established. Sequential quadratic programming algorithm (SQP) is introduced to solve nonlinear programming. A method to realize dynamic control of shape of working slope of seasonally stripped open-pit coal mine by determining combination mode of stripping benches and working bench width and a method to optimize limit advance speed of stripped working slope are proposed. Taking Shengli West No.2 Open-pit Coal Mine as an engineering background, above-mentioned optimization control method is applied for research and calculation and solution are carried out by establishing form optimization model of stripping working slope and substituting actual parameters of West No.2 Open-pit Mine. Results show that when the number of benches in bench group is 5 and working bench width is 89 m, advance of working slope meets the requirements of space-time continuity in stripping engineering and transport work of stripped objects is smallest. In this shape, limit advance speed of the working slope is 320 m/a, and change of limit advance speed of the working slope is analyzed and determined when combination of benches and cyclic advance distance is changed.

The enzymatic hydrolysis of bovine bone marrow protein (BBMP) was optimized and its physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities were studied, aimed to explore the material basis of its potential medicinal and health benefits and enhance the comprehensive utilization value of beef bone. The degree of hydrolysis (DH), protein content, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-trinitrophenylhydrazine free radical (DPPH·) scavenging rate were used as evaluation indexes, combined with the results of structural characterization, the suitable enzyme was screened. The response surface methodology was used to the optimization of enzymatic hydrolysis of bovine bone marrow protein as the hydrolysis time, enzyme concentration, pH, and temperature were independent variables. Then, the physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of the obtained hydrolysates were investigated. The results showed that pepsin was selected as the optimal protease for the preparation of BBMP pepsin hydrolysate (BBMP-PH). The optimum enzymatic hydrolysis conditions were time 2 h, enzyme concentration 2%, pH3, and temperature of 37 ℃. Under these conditions, the DH, protein content, and DPPH· scavenging rate were 36.07%, 37.05%, and 39.57%, respectively. The effects of four factors on the efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis were ordered as: Enzyme concentration>enzymatic hydrolysis time>enzymatic hydrolysis temperature>pH. The results of physicochemical properties showed that the isoelectric point (pI) of BBMP-PH was about pH6, and the solubility, emulsifying activity, emulsion stability, and water holding capacity of BBMP-PH were up to their lowest value at pI, and the better when far from the pI. When pH was 2, BBMP-PH has the highest solubility (94.72%), whereas pH8 for the emulsifying activity and emulsion stability (1.11 m2/g and 101.37%). BBMP-PH had strong scavenging ability of DPPH·, hydroxyl (·OH), superoxide anion (O2−·), and 2,2'-azo-bis-3-ethyl benzothiazoline 6-sulfonic acid (ABTS+·) free radicals, and the half inhibitory concentration IC50 were 0.65, 1.16, 0.35, 0.57 mg/mL, respectively. When the protein concentration was 1 mg/mL, the total reducing power was 0.88. This paper provides a reference for the high-value utilization of bovine bone marrow resources and the development of peptide-originated functional foods.

Iron-based shape memory alloys (Fe-SMAs), traditionally manufactured, are favored in engineering applications owing to their cost-effectiveness and ease of fabrication. However, the conventional manufacturing process of Fe-SMAs is time-consuming and raw-material-wasting. In contrast, additive manufacturing (AM) technology offers a streamlined approach to the integral molding of materials, significantly reducing raw material usage and fabrication time. Despite its potential, research on AMed Fe-SMAs remains in its early stages. This review provides updated information on current AM technologies utilized for Fe-SMAs and their applications. It provides an in-depth discussion on how printing parameters, defects, and post-printing microstructure control affect the mechanical properties and shape memory effect (SME) of AMed Fe-SMAs. Furthermore, this review identifies existing challenges in the AMed Fe-SMA approach and proposes future research directions, highlighting potential areas for development. The insights presented aim to guide improvements in the material properties of AMed Fe-SMAs by optimizing printing parameters and enhancing the SME through microstructure adjustment.

Lake-terminating glaciers are among the most severely retreating glacier types in high mountain areas. However, the characteristic of being covered by glacial lakes after retreat makes it hard to estimate their actual ice loss in recent years, as does the contribution of different parts in ice loss, which leads to significant obstacles not only in evaluating solid water resources but understanding inter-relationships between glacial ice and glacial lakes. This study presents a detailed investigation of Jiongpu Co, one of the biggest glacial lakes in the Tibetan Plateau, including its bathymetry and area evolution. The ice loss in the last two decades was analyzed using a multisource DEM dataset. The main results showed that from 1976 to 2021, Jiongpu Co had expanded from 1.19 ± 0.09 km2 to 5.34 ± 0.07 km2. The volume of Jiongpu Co showed a surprising increment from 0.09 ± 0.004 Gt to 0.66 ± 0.03 Gt from 1976 to 2021, leading to a subaqueous equivalent ice loss of 0.32 ± 0.01 Gt water from 2000 to 2020 and resulting in an underestimated ice loss of 0.06 Gt, 19% compared with previous evaluations. The total ice loss of the Jiongpu glacier was 1.52 ± 0.37 Gt from 2000 to 2020, and more than 1/3 ice loss was related to lake expansion (0.32 ± 0.01 Gt underwater, 0.19 ± 0.02 Gt above water). This study makes a further contribution to the understanding of ice loss in the complicated system of lake-terminating glaciers.

To protect forest land from loss and mitigate the global climate crisis, China has proposed a stringent natural forest protection plan, known as China’s natural forest logging ban (NFLB). This policy aims to halt the over-exploitation of natural forests, restore forest ecosystem functions, and promote regional green economic development. This study uses a regression discontinuity design (RDD) model to quantitatively and comprehensively assess the effectiveness of this policy in the key state-owned forest regions in Northeast China. Additionally, it analyzes the heterogeneity and structural characteristics of the policy’s effects on the internal composition of ecological and economic systems. The empirical results are as follows: (1) Ecological and economic impacts: The policy has successfully achieved its ecological objectives by significantly enhancing the quality and value of ecosystem services. However, it has also had a notable adverse impact on economic development, particularly in the timber supply sector, reducing the conversion efficiency of ecosystem service values into economic benefits. (2) Structural analysis: The logging ban effectively promoted the value of various ecosystem services, particularly enhancing regulatory and support functions, with a LATE estimate of approximately 8.47 units. The implementation of the policy caused a negative growth in the output value of supply-oriented ecological products, and the significance level was lower than 0.1. Conversely, the LATE estimates for different types of GDP indicate a negative growth in supply-type GDP due to the policy, with p < 0.1. (3) Heterogeneity: On the one hand, a simplistic and singular approach to logging prohibition may constrain the efficiency of enhancing ecosystem service values. On the other hand, although the policy disrupted the majority of traditional forest enterprise operations, business models focusing on quality and technology improvements were able to mitigate this impact.

In the extraction of subhorizontal multiple coal seams using open-pit mining in China, the problem of coal seam in the high wall is commonly existed, but studies usually focus on the lower coal seam mining problem only. Based on the problem of implementing the mining of upper coal seams in non-working step, the initially formed inner refuse dump is used as the working platform, and the influence of the stability of the slope stability on the mining mode is also considered. It is proposed, in the premise of stable slope to form a pattern of “openings” and “ramps” stage by stage. In the actual production of open pit mines, combined with the requirement to meet the specific slope angle to ensure the overall stability of the highwall, making the maximum of economic benefit as the judgment criterion, the staged mining mode is divided into two types: recover coal pillars between the stages and retain coal pillars between the stages. By means of quantitative analysis, the theoretical criteria for the economic feasibility of the two are given, respectively, and the relationship between the net income obtained by the two mining methods and the thickness of the coal seam is discussed. The results shows that the net profit value (NPV) of different mining methods is positively correlated with the thickness of the coal seam, so the optimal mining method can be selected by analyzing the relationship between the thickness of the coal seam and the NPVs. The economic rationality of the mining method in the specific application should be checked according to the actual situation on site. Taking an open-pit mine as the engineering example: ① It is determined that the recovering coal pillar between stages is more economical, the net income is 63.853 million yuan, and extraction and stripping ratio of remnant coal in the non-working side is 0.758; ② By reducing the height of the coal pillar and increasing the corresponding slope angle of the stope and dump, economic benefit can be increased using the retaining coal pillar between stages. The results can be applied to similar open-pit mines. By reducing the waste of coal resources, the overall economic benefits of mining enterprises are improved while ensuring safe, green and efficient mining.

Hilbert$ ' $s 16th problem is extensively studied in mathematics and its applications. Arnold proposed a weakened version focusing on differential equations. While significant progress has been made for Hamiltonian systems, less attention has been given to integrable non-Hamiltonian systems. In recent years, investigating quadratic reversible systems in integrable non-Hamiltonian systems has gained widespread attention and shown promising advancements. In this academic context, our study is based on qualitative analysis theory. It explores the upper bound of the number of zeros of Abelian integrals for a specific class of quadratic reversible systems under perturbations with polynomial degrees of n. The Picard-Fuchs equation method and the Riccati equation method are employed in our investigation. The research findings indicate that when the degree of the perturbing polynomial is n ($ n\geq5 $), the upper bound for the number of zeros of Abelian integrals is determined to be $ 7n-12 $. To achieve this, we first numerically transform the Hamiltonian function of the quadratic reversible system into a standard form. By applying a combination of the Picard-Fuchs equation method and the Riccati equation method, we derive the representation of the Abelian integrals. Using relevant theorems, we estimate the upper bound for the number of zeros of the Abelian integrals, which consequently provides an upper bound for the number of limit cycles in the system. The research results demonstrate that when the perturbation polynomial degree is high or equal to n, the Picard-Fuchs equation method and the Riccati equation method can be applied to estimate the upper bound of the number of zeros of the Abelian integrals.

Abstract Background Annexins are a family of proteins involved in a wide variety of cellular processes such as inflammation, proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, migration and membrane repair. However, the role of most Annexins in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remained unclear. Methods The differentially expressed Annexins in RCC compared with normal controls were screened applying the TCGA database. The correlation of differentially expressed Annexins with clinical stages, grades and overall survival was analyzed to explore the clinical significance of Annexins in RCC. Then ANXA8 was selected and further stained in the discover and validation RCC cohort. The correlation of ANXA8 expression with clinical parameter was verified at the protein level. To explore the potential function of ANXA8, ANXA8 was knockdown in the RCC cell line and further analyzed using transcriptome and bioinformatic analysis. Results mRNA expression of ANXA1, ANXA2R, ANXA4, ANXA8, ANXA8L1 and ANXA13 were significantly upregulated in RCC compared with normal kidney tissues. In contrast, ANXA3 and ANXA9 mRNA expression was significantly downregulated. Higher expression of ANXA2R, ANXA8 and ANXA8L1 were correlated with worse overall survival, while lower expression of ANXA3, ANXA9 and ANXA13 were associated with worse clinical outcomes in RCC patients. We further demonstrated that ANXA8 expression was significantly increased in RCC compared with normal renal tissues at the protein level. And higher protein expression of ANXA8 was associated with higher clinical grades. Through the bioinformatics analysis and cell cycle analysis, we found knockdown of ANXA8 mainly influenced the cell cycle and DNA replication. The top ten hub genes consist of CDC6, CDK2, CHEK1, CCNB1, ORC1, CHEK2, MCM7, CDK1, PCNA and MCM3. Conclusions Multiple members of Annexins were abnormally expressed and associated with the prognosis of RCC. The expression of ANXA8 was significantly increased in RCC and associated with poor prognosis. ANXA8 might influence the cell cycle and could be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for RCC.

Since Fe–Mn–Si–Cr shape memory alloy (Fe-SMA) has been discovered, an improvement of the shape memory effect (SME) is challenged. Numerous attempts have been made thus far to improve SME. To effectively control such performance, it becomes imperative to comprehend the real-time behavior of the stress-induced martensitic transformation (SIMT), which is strongly related to SME, during deformation. In the past, the measurement of volume resistivity has been proposed and applied to capture the forward SIMT behavior during the tensile loading process at various strain rate. However, it is quite hard to find investigations of the reverse martensitic transformation after the loading, which is more essential for understanding SME. Therefore, a comprehensive evaluation of the whole SIMT process including the loading process at various strain rate is strongly required. In this study, an improved measurement of volume resistivity is established by introducing both the four-probe and active-dummy techniques with a development of a diameter measurement at high temperature. Then, the volume resistivity of Fe-SMA is measured during the whole deformation including loading under tension at various strain rate, unloading, and heating processes. Besides, the microstructures of Fe-SMA after unloading and heating processes are observed, respectively. Finally, the real-time whole martensitic transformation in Fe-SMA is first investigated with the novel optimization method. The negative strain rate of change in volume resistivity during whole processes can be found. More amount of austenite can be obtained at lower strain rate, resulting in a larger SME.

The long-term precision of shearer independent positioning device is an important research content of intelligent mining. The current shearer positioning accuracy is hard to meet the demands of automatic mining, and we established a fusion positioning model based on IMU/UWB, and proposed autonomous correction to compensate the drift error of inertial navigation device for the coal mine working face by using the fusion results of IMU/UWB to correct the position and posture of inertial positioning system. It can compensate the deviation of IMU in real time, and realize long-term high-precision autonomous cycle cutting of the shearer. To reduce the influence of uncertain measurement noise on the positioning results, we use variational Bayesian unscented Kalman filter (VB-UKF) technique to smooth the positioning results in order to further improve the fusion positioning accuracy. To verify the positioning accuracy of the mining face end, fusion positioning experiments are conducted in Taiyuan Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd on the ground and Shandong Energy Group coal mine working face in the underground, respectively. The experimental results demonstrate that, the accuracy of IMU/UWB fusion positioning is higher than that of the single UWB solution. After smoothing via the VB-UKF algorithm, the error in the x-axis and z-axis orientation of the IMU/UWB fusion localization for underground experiments decreased from 0.0102 m and 0.194 m to 0.082 m and 0.158 m, respectively, and the corresponding average accuracy improved by 19.6% and 18.6%. The error of the three pose angles is less than 2°, because the error extended Kalman filter compensates and modifies the IMU bias in the fusion localization model, which can effectively suppress the drift of the IMU posture angle. The underground field experiment proves the effectiveness of the positioning method of coal mining face end, which provides better reference and experience for the further application in underground coalmine by using IMU/UWB fusion positioning.

The delineation of the open-pit mining boundary, particularly in the context of medium to long-term planning, forms the foundation of mining design. However, due to the non-linear and dynamic nature of the economic and technical parameters influencing boundary delineation, determining the optimal mining boundary can be exceedingly challenging. Currently, most boundary optimization methods assume that block parameters remain fixed, which results in enterprises assuming a certain level of risk when facing changes in internal and external conditions. In this regard, this paper introduces the concept of "achievement degree" to reflect the risk associated with the results of boundary design. Using coal prices as an example, this article applies the predicted coal price curve to boundary optimization adjustments by specifying the "achievement degree" requirements for various time periods, thereby facilitating risk-controlled and economically optimal boundary decisions. Taking the illustrative case of an idealized small-scale inclined coal seam open-pit mine, adjustments to the boundary closely track variations in coal prices, further enhancing returns. The results demonstrate that the method proposed in this paper can increase overall revenue by approximately 51.15% within the forecast period, while effectively managing risks.

Abstract As an important link in the complex system engineering project of open pit mining, the quality of the boundary determines the performance of the project to a large extent. However, changes in economic indicators may raise doubts about the optimality of mining boundaries. In this article, a coal price time series forecasting model that considers some amount of redundancy is proposed, which combines an improved sparrow search algorithm (ISSA) and a least squares support vector regression machine regression (LSSVR) algorithm. The optimal values of the penalty factor and kernel function parameter of the LSSVR model are selected by ISSA, which improves the prediction accuracy and generalization performance of the forecasting model. A multistep decision optimization method under fluctuating coal price conditions is proposed, and the model prediction results are applied to the boundary optimization design process. Using the widely applied block model as the basis, a set of optimal production nested pits is obtained, allowing the realm design results to fit the coal price fluctuation trend and further enhance enterprise efficiency. The applicability and effectiveness of this method were verified by taking an ideal two-dimensional model and an inclined coal seam open-pit coal mine in Xinjiang as an example.

Large open-pit coal mines often encounter fault structures with different development scope and degree within the mining boundary. In order to optimize and determine the relevant parameters of the working slope passing through the fault in the open-pit coal mine, the change of the working slope passing through the fault mode and the length of the working line when the relative position between the working line and the fault strike is different is analyzed, the principle of coal resource recovery in the fault affected area is determined, and the influencing factors of the production stripping ratio change in the process of working slope advancing when the working line intersects the fault strike are expounded. According to the basic principle of open-pit mining, the engineering model of the strike arrangement of the intersecting faults of the working slope is established, the composition of the working line is discussed, and the calculation method of the working line length is given. The three-dimensional space rectangular coordinate system with the working line layout direction and the working side advancing direction as the axis is constructed, the section stripping volume and raw coal volume of each engineering model are calculated, and the functional relationship between the working line length, the angle between the working line and the fault strike, the working side advancing distance and the production stripping ratio is determined. The change rule of production stripping ratio is analyzed by means of control variables. The results show that the initial production stripping ratio is positively related to the length of the fault descending wall working line when the stripping working line is orthogonal to the fault strike; When the strike of the oblique fault of the working wall is advancing, the initial production stripping ratio is negatively related to the length of the working line of the fault riser and the angle between the working line and the fault strike. The smaller the angle between the working line and the fault strike, the more intense the change of the production stripping ratio. This paper presents the optimization principle of the parameters of the working slope passing through the fault in the open-pit coal mine, and puts forward the method of determining the parameters by using the computer program to judge circularly. Taking Shengli West No. 2 Coal Mine as the engineering background, the above optimization principles and determination methods are applied and studied. The results show that when the angle between the working line and the fault strike is 70 ° and the length of the initial footwall mining working line is 1700 m, the production stripping ratio of the working side is less than the economic and reasonable stripping ratio in the process of advancing in the F13 fault area, the length of the working line always meets the minimum working line length requirements for equipment operation, running and deployment, and the east side slope expansion is the minimum.

The persistent conflict between strict conservation and community welfare highlights the growing need to address sustainable livelihoods in forest protection programs. The Natural Forest Protection Program (NFPP) is a comprehensive forest protection program spearheaded by the Chinese government. It is designed to facilitate the conservation and restoration of forest ecosystems through a range of interventions, including logging ban, management, tending, and afforestation efforts. Drawing upon longitudinal micro-level household survey data spanning five consecutive years from 2017 to 2021, this research quantifies the sustainable livelihood levels of frontline participants in the NFPP by examining two dimensions: livelihood capital stock and livelihood transformation capacity. Additionally, it investigates the internal differentiation phenomenon within this cohort. The findings suggest that forest worker households engaged in tasks related to forest management, tending, and afforestation are the frontline participants in the NFPP, in contrast to management, technical, and service personnel. Moreover, these forest worker households exhibit a pattern characterized by a higher livelihood capital stock but a lower livelihood transformation capacity compared to non-forest worker households. Furthermore, within forest worker households, there is a significant group differentiation phenomenon, resulting in inter-group differentials in the sustainable livelihood levels based on geographical and seniority stratification criteria. The developers of the global forest protection program should prioritize addressing the sustainable livelihood issues of frontline participants in the program, especially the real problem of mismatches between livelihood capital stock and livelihood transformation capacity. This can be achieved through designing income incentives, stimulating consumption, and other means to enhance the relatively disadvantaged position of frontline participants while balancing the coordination and fairness of the protection program based on the aspects of both protection and development.

Bend sections are ubiquitous in natural sandy river systems. This study employs Computational Fluid Dynamics–Discrete Phase Model (CFD-DPM) methodology to analyze particle transport dynamics in U-bend channel flows, focusing on the distinctions between partially vegetated (Case No.1) and non-vegetated (Case No.2) scenarios. The research aims to unravel the intricate relationships among bending channel-induced secondary flow, vegetation blockage, and particle aggregation, employing both quantitative and qualitative approaches. (I) The key findings reveal that vegetation near the inner walls of curved channels markedly diminishes the intensity of secondary circulation. This reduction in circulation intensity is observed not only within vegetated areas but also extends to adjacent non-vegetated zones. Additionally, the study identifies a close correlation between vertical vortices and particle distribution near the channel bed. While particle distribution generally aligns with the vortices’ margin, dynamic patch-scale eddies near vegetation patches induce deviations, creating wave-like patterns in particle distribution. (II) The application of the Probability Density Function (PDF) provides insights into the radius-wise particle distribution. In non-vegetated channels, particle distribution is primarily influenced by secondary flow and boundary layers. In contrast, the presence of vegetation leads to a complex mixing layer, altering the particle distribution pattern and maximizing PDF values in non-vegetated free flow subzones. (III) Furthermore, the research quantifies spatial–temporal sediment heterogeneity through PDF variance. The findings demonstrate that variance in non-vegetated channels increases towards the outer wall in bending regions. Vegetation-induced turbulence causes higher variance, particularly in the mixing layer subzone, underscoring the significance of eddy size in sediment redistribution. (IV) The study of vertical concentration profiles in vegetated U-bend channels offers additional insights, while secondary flow in non-vegetated channels facilitates upward sediment transport and vegetation presence, although increasing the Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKE), restricts channel space, and impedes secondary flow, thereby reducing vertical particle suspension. Sediment concentrations are found to be higher in the lower layers of vegetated bends, contrary to the pattern in non-vegetated bends. These findings highlight the complex interplay between vegetation, secondary flow, and sediment transport, illustrating the reduced effectiveness of secondary flow in promoting vertical particle transportation in bending channels due to the vegetation obstruction.

Straw covering is a protective tillage measure in agricultural production, but there is relatively little research on the allelopathic effects of corn straw on weeds and foxtail millet. This experiment studied the allelopathic effects of corn straw on four weeds (Chenopodium album, Setaria viridis, Echinochloa crus-galli and Amaranthus retroflexus) in foxtail millet fields, and also measured the growth indicators of foxtail millet. The study consisted of Petri dish and field experiments. Five treatments were used in the Petri dish experiment: clear water as control (0 g/L, TCK) and four types of corn straw water extracts. They were, respectively, the stock solution (100 g/L, T1), 10 X dilution (10 g/L, T2), 50 X dilution (2 g/L, T3), and 100 X dilution (1 g/L, T4) of corn straw water extracts. Additionally, seven treatments were set up in the field experiment, consisting of three corn straw covering treatments, with covering amounts of 3000 (Z1), 6000 (Z2) and 12,000 kg/ha (Z3), and four control treatments—one treatment with no corn straw cover (CK) and three treatments involving the use of a black film to create the same shading area as the corn straw covered area, with black film coverage areas of 50% (PZ1), 70% (PZ2), and 100% (PZ3), respectively. The results showed that the corn straw water extract reduced the germination rate of the seeds of the four weeds. The T1 treatment resulted in the allelopathic promotion of C. album growth but the inhibition of S. viridis, E. crus-galli, and A. retroflexus growth. Treatments T2, T3, and T4 all induced the allelopathic promotion of the growth of the four weeds. The order of the effects of the corn straw water extracts on the comprehensive allelopathy index of the four weed seeds was as follows: C. album > S. viridis > A. retroflexus > E. crus-galli. With an increase in the corn straw mulching amount, the density and total coverage of the four weeds showed a gradual downward trend, whereas the plant control effect and fresh weight control effect showed a gradual upward trend. All indices showed the best results under 12,000 kg/ha of mulching and returning to the field. Overall, corn straw coverage significantly impacted the net photosynthetic rate and transpiration rate of foxtail millet and increased the yield of foxtail millet. Under coverages of 6000 and 12,000 kg/ha, the growth of foxtail millet is better. Based on our findings, we recommend a corn straw coverage of 12,000 kg/ha for the allelopathic control of weeds in foxtail millet fields.

To achieve a sustainable development path that harmonizes ecological and economic considerations, China has advocated the “two mountains” concept: “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets”. This idea posits that those who protect the environment can economically benefit by selling pristine landscapes and utilizing rich ecological resources. This paper use “the equivalence factor method” to calculate ecological benefits, introduces a technical measure—the conversion rate of ecosystem service value—and analyzes its temporal and spatial evolution from 2003 to 2020 in the operational areas of 87 state-owned forestry enterprises in Northeast China. The findings show: (1) a significant improvement in ecosystem-service quality, with its value increasing from 404.7 to 850.2 billion CNY between 2003 and 2020. The restoration of the ecological environment in China’s KSFR provides a foundation for economic and social development. (2) A decrease in the economic gains derived by operators from developing protected ecosystems, with the most significant decline observed in economic benefits generated from the supply product, including timber harvesting. However, the industrial structure in KSFR shifted from being dominated by timber production to diversified development, with non-timber forest resources becoming an important part of regional economic growth. (3) Significant potential for realizing the value of ecosystem services, evidenced by an increasing trend in the conversion rates of cultural, regulatory, and supporting services. These findings underscore the effectiveness of China’s natural forest protection and restoration policies in optimizing forest ecology and realizing the “two mountains” concept through appropriate market transactions and ecological compensation mechanisms.

This study sought to investigate the vertical distribution pattern of the soil faunal community in a low-altitude mountain area. On 8 July 2022, a low hill was selected as the study area, and soil arthropods were collected through traps. The leaf litter, vegetation type, and distribution quantity of each sampling site were investigated while the soil faunae were collected. In addition, the soil’s physical and chemical parameters were measured. The results of a one-way ANOVA showed that there were significant differences (p < 0.05) in the soil properties, leaf litter, and plant quantities at different altitudes within the research area. A total of 1086 soil arthropods, belonging to five classes and ten orders, were collected during the study period. The dominant species of soil arthropods at different altitudes were significantly different. The dominant species in low-altitude areas were Armadillidium sp. and Aethus nigritus. However, Eupolyphaga sinensis and Philodromidae were the dominant species in high-altitude areas. The results of a non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis showed that the soil faunae at different altitudes were clustered into two communities: a high-altitude community and a low-altitude community. With the increase in altitude, the species richness of the soil arthropods gradually decreased, and their abundance showed a decreasing trend. A redundancy analysis (RDA) of the soil arthropods and environmental factors showed that soil moisture (p < 0.01), pH (p < 0.01) and defoliation (p < 0.05) had significant effects on the distribution of the soil fauna. The results of a Pearson correlation analysis indicated that different environmental factors had interactive effects on the distribution of the soil arthropods. The quantity and species richness of the soil arthropods in different sample lines were tested using a variance analysis. The results showed that there were significantly smaller quantities of soil arthropods in the sampling line closer to the trekking ladder. This indicates that human tourism, namely mountaineering activities, had a direct impact on the soil fauna. This study can provide a reference for and data support in the development of biodiversity conservation measures for forest parks in low mountain areas.

In this study, a method was introduced to validate the presence of a Representative Elementary Volume (REV) within marine clayey sediment containing cracks during cyclic loading and unloading of confinement pressure. Physical testing provided the basis for this verification. Once the existence of the REV for such sediment was confirmed, we established a machine-learning predictive model. This model utilizes a hybrid algorithm combining Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) with a Support Vector Machine (SVM). The model was trained using a database generated from the aforementioned physical tests. The machine-learning model demonstrates favorable predictive performance based on several statistical metrics, including the coefficient of determination (R2), mean residual error (MSE), mean relative residual error (MRSE), and the correlation coefficient R during the verification process. Utilizing the established machine-learning predictive model, one can effortlessly obtain the permeability tensor of marine clayey sediment containing cracks during cyclic loading and unloading of confinement pressure by inputting the relevant stress condition parameters. The original research cannot estimate the permeability tensor under similar loading and unloading conditions through REV. In this study, the physical model test was used to determine the REV of marine cohesive sediments with cracks by cyclic-constrained pressure loading and unloading. Referring to the results of physical tests, we developed a machine-learning prediction model that can easily estimate the permeability tensor of marine cohesive sediments with cracks under cyclic loading and constrained pressure unloading conditions. This method greatly saves time and computation and provides a direct method for engineering and technical personnel to predict the permeability tensor in this case.

Objectives Population-level studies may elucidate the most promising intervention targets to prevent negative outcomes of developmental vulnerability in children. This study aims to bridge the current literature gap on identifying population-level developmental vulnerability risk factors using combined social and biological/health information. Methods This study assessed developmental vulnerability among kindergarten children using the 2016 Early Development Instrument (EDI) and identified risk factors of developmental vulnerability using EDI data cross-linked to a population-wide administrative health dataset. A total number of 23,494 children aged 5–6 were included (48% female). Prenatal, neonatal, and early childhood risk factors for developmental vulnerability were investigated, highlighting the most important ones contributing to early development. Results The main risk factors for developmental vulnerability were children with a history of mental health diagnosis (risk ratio = 1.46), biological sex–male (risk ratio = 1.51), and poor socioeconomic status (risk ratio = 1.58). Conclusion Our study encompasses both social and health information in a populational-level representative sample of Alberta, Canada. The results confirm evidence established in other geographic regions and jurisdictions and demonstrate the association between perinatal risk factors and developmental vulnerability. Based on these results, we argue that the health system should adopt a multilevel prevention and intervention strategy, targeting individual, family, and community together.