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Grid-forming energy storage can not only have the conventional energy storage function, but also be able to improve the system inertia to meet the demand for rapid frequency and voltage regulation of microgrid with high renewable penetration. Therefore, the grid-forming energy storage technology is an important form to promote the development of microgrid technology. In this paper, to investigate the impact of energy storage control strategy, an optimal operation model of microgrids considering stabilized expansion of grid-forming energy storage is proposed. Firstly, a microgrid cluster architecture with two sub-microgrids is built. The efficiency model of each component of the microgrid cluster is determined, and different energy storage control strategies are analyzed. Based on the different energy storage control strategies, different start-up modes of diesel generators constraints are set. Secondly, with the operating cost of microgrids as the optimization objective and the diesel generator start-up mode constraints, the optimized operation model of microgrids considering stabilized expansion of grid-forming energy storage is constructed, and it is solved by the CPLEX solver. Finally, different photovoltaic penetration scenarios are set up for arithmetic. The simulation is conducted to verify that the grid-forming energy storage can effectively improve the microgrids operation economy and environmental protection. Meanwhile, appropriately increasing the microgrid cluster contact line power limit can improve the system operation economy.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the deadliest cancers in the world. Increasing evidence suggests that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are implicated in CRC pathogenesis. This study aimed to determine the role of circAPLP2 and explore a potential mechanism of circAPLP2 action in CRC.

Teacher belief plays an important role in cultivating critical thinking (CT) in foreign language education, but it is unclear whether novice and experienced teachers' beliefs about cultivating CT in foreign language education is different. Considering the importance of teaching experience in shaping teacher belief, 86 novice and 100 experienced teachers' beliefs about integrating CT in foreign language teaching was collected in this research. Teacher belief was measured by self-reported questionnaire. Three linear regression models were used to identify the power of teaching experience to predict teacher belief about CT (model 1), teacher belief about developing CT in foreign language teaching (model 2) and teacher belief about how to develop CT in foreign language teaching (model 3), controlling for their gender, age and educational level. Results showed that even though novice teachers are more aware of the importance of CT than colleagues with more experience, experienced teachers are more knowledgeable about how to integrate CT in foreign language teaching than novice teachers. Further interview showed that schooling experience, teaching experience and teacher education programme can help to build teacher belief, which confirms sociocultural perspective of teacher belief. Some practical implications for foreign language teacher education and professional development are discussed.

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) is important in students' reading development. The mechanism of how they are linked, however, is underexplored. Aims: This research aimed to explore whether reading self-concept mediates the link between SES and reading achievement and whether teacher support moderates the direct and indirect link between SES and reading achievement. Samples: Using PISA 2018 database, we selected 17,346 15-year-olds from 537 schools in B-S-J-Z (China) and the United States (U.S.). Methods: Multilevel linear models were calculated to explore the potential mediation of self-concept and the potential moderation of teacher support between SES and reading achievement. Results: Results reveal that reading self-concept mediated the link between SES and reading achievement at student level both in China and the United States, and teacher support moderated the link between SES and reading self-concept both at student level and school level only in China, but not in the United States. Conclusion: Our research highlights the importance of self-concept and teacher support in improving students' reading achievement, especially for students of low SES, which has important theoretical significance and practical enlightenment for reading instruction.

ObjectiveTo examine the changes in AMH levels longitudinally over time and their relationship with both body composition, particularly abdominal adiposity, and milestones of pubertal development in female children.DesignSecondary analysis of a prospective, longitudinal study.SettingUniversity affiliated research center and laboratories.PatientsEighty-nine females were examined between 1990 and 2015 to study child growth and development.InterventionsDemographic, anthropometric, growth, and pubertal milestone data with serum samples stored and subsequently analyzed for AMH.Main outcome measuresLongitudinal change in AMH and predicted AMH levels based on body composition, age, and pubertal milestones including, pubarche, thelarche, and menarche.ResultsNatural log-transformed AMH (AMHlog) levels appeared to have a nonlinear relationship with age, decreasing between 10 and 14 years of age, increasing until 16 years. A mixed effect linear model demonstrated that increased abdominal adiposity (waist/height ratio, WHtR) was significantly associated with the predicted increased AMHlog levels (β=1.37). As females progressed through the Tanner stages, the model predicted decreasing AMHlog values when adjusting for age and WHtR.ConclusionsDeclining AMH levels during puberty may not be reflective of diminished ovarian reserve as observed in adults, but may suggest a permissive role of AMH in the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.

As an important part of adolescents' social capital, teacher-student relationship (TSR) and parental involvement (PI) are important for student learning. However, we know little about how PI works with TSR in relation to adolescents' learning outcomes. The present study aimed to examine the association between TSR and adolescents' learning outcomes in China, as well as testing the potential moderating role of PI. Participants were 332 fourth graders and 321 eleventh graders from Shandong province, China. Student-perceived TSR and home-based PI, and curriculum-based measures of academic achievement were collected in October 2019. The major findings of the study included: (1) TSR and students' academic performance positively correlate with each other; (2) PI moderates the relationship between TSR and students' academic performance; (3) High PI in primary school reduces the impacts of lower TSR on student performance; (4) High PI in secondary school has no compensating effect on low TSR, but it still reduces the influence of TSR on academic performance. The present research verifies and extends the association between TSR and academic achievement to parental factors, and holds substantive theoretical and practical implications for teacher education and family education research.

As an important variable in critical thinking instruction, teacher cognition has been emphasized in recent years, but there is relatively insufficient understanding of how Chinese pre-service teachers perceive the cultivation of critical thinking in teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL). From the perspective of Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, especially the concept of mediation, this paper aims to investigate the cognition of Chinese pre-service teachers about the cultivation of critical thinking in TEFL and the mediating resources concerned. Twenty-four Chinese pre-service teachers were selected from five normal universities. A qualitative approach with semi-structured interview and classroom observation was adopted to seek insights on Chinese pre-service teachers' cognitions about integrating critical thinking into TEFL, and sociocultural theory was used to argue for factors affecting their cognitions. Results revealed that Chinese pre-service teachers understand the connotation of critical thinking to some extent although there are misconceptions, and they are willing to integrate critical thinking into TEFL even though there are many difficulties. Moreover, they perceived that multiple sociocultural factors might be linked with their cognitions, such as previous learning experience, Chinese cultural values, evaluation system, etc. Implications for foreign language teacher education are discussed.

This study examined the motivation level of struggling English learners in China and explored the link between motivation and their English achievement. Furthermore, this research dug into the moderation effect of teacher–student relationships on this link based on attachment theory and self-dertemination theory. Struggling students (n = 14,531) were chosen according to the bottom 25th percentile cutoff on English achievement from a large-scale survey in China. The standardised English performance test and students' self-reported motivation and teacher–student relationships were adopted to collect data. Descriptive statistics showed that struggling English learners had medium intrinsic and utility value and low self-efficacy. Correlation analysis revealed that intrinsic value and utility value were positively correlated with their English performance, while self-efficacy was not. The moderation analysis further demonstrated that supportive teacher–student relationships had a buffering effect on the low or medium motivation of struggling English learners. These findings suggest that harmonious teacher–student relationships are important for improving the English performance of struggling students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to understand the prevalence of chronic venous disease (CVD) of lower limbs in young men at high-altitude in Xizang, and to provide prevention measures. Methods: The convenient sampling method was used to conduct a questionnaire survey among males aged 18 to 40 above an altitude of 3000 meters in Xizang in April 2023. The contents of the questionnaire included basic information, symptoms of CVD of lower limbs, protection status and training needs. Multivariate logistic regression model was calculated to evaluate the risk factors for CVD. Results: A total of 350 survey questionnaires were received, and 326 valid samples were collected. The prevalence of CVD of lower limbs (C1-C6) was 37.42% (95%CI: 32.17%–42.68%), the ratio of C0 to C5 were 62.58%, 27.30%, 3.07%, 4.60%, 2.15% and 0.31%, respectively, no one reached C6. The top three symptoms of CVD were lower limb fatigue (18.10%), heaviness (15.34%) and pain (13.19%). 46.01% of respondents were unaware of CVD, and 12.88% of respondents did not have any protective measures of CVD. Multivariate logistic regression showed that age (OR = 1.076, 95%CI: 1.018–1.137, p =.009), preference for spicy food (OR = 1.747, 95%CI: 1.083–2.818, p =.022), unbalanced diet (OR = 1.877, 95%CI: 1.049–3.358, p =.034) and physical exercise (OR 0.610, 95%CI: 0.377–0.986, p =.044) were the independent risk factors for CVD. Conclusions: This study provided data on the prevalence of CVD in young men at high-altitude and the risk factors for CVD. The findings of this study may facilitate the development of individualized clinical assessments and targeted prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Drawing from rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), this research explored the predictive power of critical thinking (CT) disposition on foreign language (FL) engagement. Additionally, it examined whether emotions mediate this relationship and how achievement levels moderate these mediation effects. The study involved 3238 Chinese secondary students, with data collected through self‐reported scales measuring CT disposition, enjoyment, anxiety, boredom, and engagement in FL learning, as well as FL achievement tests. Mediation analysis revealed that CT disposition was significantly and positively associated with FL engagement. Moreover, this relationship was mediated by FL enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom. Additionally, anxiety and boredom notably mediated the relationship between CT disposition and FL engagement, especially among high‐achieving students. However, moderated mediation analysis showed that the mediation effect of FL enjoyment did not significantly differ between high‐achieving and low‐achieving groups. This research holds theoretical, practical, and methodological implications for FL teaching and learning, providing insights into how emotional responses influenced by CT can affect student engagement across different achievement levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With latent profile analysis (LPA), this study identified motivation profiles of rural English learners in China based on expectancy-value theory (EVT). The construct validity of the extracted latent profiles was verified by their association with learning strategy use and English achievement. A total of 2,433 Chinese rural students completed English achievement test and online questionnaire measuring self-efficacy, intrinsic value, utility value, English learning strategy, and demographic information. The LPA results demonstrated that a model with four latent profiles adequately represented the data, naming rural English learners with "high expectancy and high value", "low expectancy and medium value", "medium expectancy and low value", and "low expectancy and low value", respectively. Four subgroups showed significant differences in strategy use and English achievement. Rural learners with "high expectancy and high value" used the most cognitive and metacognitive strategies, and scored highest in English test, followed by those with "low expectancy and medium value", "medium expectancy and low value", and "low expectancy and low value". This study is consistent with the situated nature of motivation and provides new insights into English instruction in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]