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Here, we demonstrate a strategy that two orthogonal modes in a dielectric cavity can efficiently couple with each other through the bridging effect of a plasmonic antenna. In such a dielectric-antenna hybrid system, a plasmonic antenna can coherently interact with both modes of the dielectric cavity, which brings sufficient coherent energy transfers between the two orthogonal modes. Specifically, a broad electromagnetic mode and a narrow whispering gallery mode (WGM) in a subwavelength silicon disk are considered, where they cannot directly interact with each other through near-field couplings. By introducing a plasmonic antenna, coherent energy transfer between the above two modes occurs, which is confirmed by both far-field spectra and near-field distributions. More investigations show that spectral and spatial overlaps between the involved modes can largely affect energy transfer behaviors. Those overlaps are highly dependent on various parameters of the system. The WGM response in the hybrid system can even exceed that of an individual disk. Our proposed strategy can be extended to other similar systems and the modified optical responses can find applications in enhanced light-matter interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the initial stages of Alopecia Areata (AA), the predominance of hair breakage or exclamation mark hairs serves as vital indicators of disease activity. These signs are non-invasive and are commonly employed in dermatoscopic examinations. Despite their clinical salience, the underlying etiology precipitating this hair breakage remains largely uncharted territory. Our exhaustive review of the existing literature points to a pivotal role for cysteine—a key amino acid central to hair growth—in these mechanisms. This review will probe and deliberate upon the implications of aberrant cysteine metabolism in the pathogenesis of AA. It will examine the potential intersections of cysteine metabolism with autophagy, ferroptosis, immunity, and psychiatric manifestations associated with AA. Such exploration could illuminate new facets of the disease's pathophysiology, potentially paving the way for innovative therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heart failure (HF) is on the rise as a global health problem, but information on its burden in Asia is limited. This study aimed to assess the burden, trends, and underlying causes of HF in the Asian region. Data on HF in Asia from 1990 to 2019, including prevalence, years lived with disability (YLD), and underlying causes, were extracted from the Global Burden of Diseases 2019. The cases, the age-standardized prevalence, and the YLD were compared between the age groups, the sexes, the sociodemographic index, and the locations. The proportion of age-standardized prevalence rates of HF attributable to 16 underlying causes was also analyzed. In 2019, the age-standardized prevalence rate of HF per 100,000 persons in Asia was 722.45 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 591.97–891.64), with an estimated 31.89 million cases (95% UI: 25.94–39.25). From 1990 to 2019, the prevalence of age-standardized HF in Asia decreased by 4.51%, reflecting the global trend (−7.06%). Age-standardized YLD rates of HF exhibited patterns similar to prevalence rates. Among Asian countries, China had the highest age-standardized prevalence rate, followed by Kuwait and Jordan. Hypertensive heart disease was the leading cause of HF, followed by ischemic heart disease and rheumatic heart disease. Although the burden of HF in Asia showed a gradual decline between 1990 and 2019, it remains a significant health challenge that requires increased attention. Regional disparities in HF burden are evident, emphasizing the need for urgent prevention and control measures at the regional and national levels. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of facile, sensitive, and robust methods for the detection of metal ions is fascinating for chemists because traditional strategies for their detection usually involve complicated instrumentation and critical sample preparation procedures. In this work, bicinchoninic acid was used in a specific reaction with Cu(I) for the spectrophotometric determination of various metal ions. The optimization of experimental parameters led to the establishment of a simple, fast, and accurate analytical method. Mn(II), Co(II), and Fe(II) can be detected at submicromolar levels using this method. Calibration graphs for Mn(II), Co(II), and Fe(II) are rectilinear within the range of 8–40, 15–150, and 15–150 μM, respectively. The detection limit for Mn(II), Co(II), and Fe(II) were 0.83, 1.4, and 1.9 mg/L, respectively, and the relative standard deviation did not exceed 2.5% for five replicates. The bathocuproine reaction demonstrated that Cu(II) can be reduced to Cu(I) by Mn(II). Then bicinchoninic acid can bind to Cu(I), creating a purple-colored product at 562 nm. The method has been successfully applied to evaluate the reaction process and stability of metal-organic frameworks. Moreover, the results were found to be in satisfactory agreement with those acquired by using the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry technique, which will open up a new avenue for using the proposed strategy as a conventional method to detect metal ions in scientific research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this paper, we study the task offloading optimization problem in satellite edge computing environments to reduce the whole communication latency and energy consumption so as to enhance the offloading success rate. A three‐tier machine learning framework consisting of collaborative edge devices, edge data centers, and cloud data centers has been proposed to ensure an efficient task execution. To accomplish this goal, we also propose a Q‐learning‐based reinforcement learning offloading strategy in which both the time‐sensitive constraints and data requirements of the computation‐intensive tasks are taken into account. It enables various types of tasks to select the most suitable satellite nodes for the computing deployment. Simulation results show that our algorithm outperforms other baseline algorithms in terms of latency, energy consumption, and successful execution efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ameliorate the thermal performance of micro combustor and expand its potential applications, a combustor with partially Pt-loaded porous media is constructed. Experiments of H 2 /CH 4 blending combustion in the combustors with different materials for catalyst Pt supported porous media are carried out, and effects of flow rate and fuels blended ratio and porous media setting are also involved. The results show that the nickel-based porous media for supported catalyst Pt achieves stable flame and efficient thermal performance. The homogeneous reactions are inhibited by the global catalytic combustion in the porous media, which reduces the flame temperature in the combustion chamber. The partially inserted catalytic porous media can balance the inhibition of heterogeneous reactions on homogeneous reactions, altering the anchoring of flame and promoting heat-recirculation in the combustion chamber to enhance the combustion stability of H 2 /CH 4 /Air. A sub-high temperature region is formed in the combustor downstream, which boosts the radiation performance of the combustor. The #CPC combustor achieves the maximum radiation power and efficiency of 63.7 W and 56.7 %, which represents a 10.3 % increase in radiation efficiency compared to non-catalytic combustion. • A combustor with partially Pt-loaded porous media is proposed for H 2 /CH 4 fueled combustion. • Effects of Pt supported with varied porous materials on the combustion are obtained. • The partially inserted catalytic porous media contributes to flame stability and energy conversion. • Radiation efficiency can be 10.3 % improved for the burner with partially Pt-loaded porous media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aim to share our experience of the removal of cranio-orbital lesions (COLs) and propose a novel classification to guide the tailored approach selection. We retrospectively reviewed 45 consecutive patients with COLs who underwent surgery performed by the same neurosurgeon between November 2010 and November 2022. The surgical approach was selected according to the anatomical region classification of the COLs. For lesions limited to space A (lateral superior orbital fissure, SOF), the pterion or extended pterion approach (PA or EPA) was used. For lesions limited to space B (extraconal compartment medial SOF, and cavernous sinus CS) and C (intraconal compartment, medial SOF, and CS), the pretemporal transcavernous approach (PTCA) was used. For lesions limited to space D (intraconal compartment and optic canals), the subfrontal approach (SA) was used. For lesions extending into the infratemporal fossa (ITF), the cranio-orbito-zygomatic approach (COZA) was used. For lesions involving pterygopalatine fossa (PPF), the endoscopic transnasal approach (ETNA) was used. We analyzed the clinical manifestations, imaging data, surgical approaches, surgical outcomes, neurological outcomes, and follow-up data. Gross total resection was performed in 35 patients (35/45, 77.8%). SA, PA, EPA, PTCA, COZA, and ETNA were performed in 9, 9, 10, 10, 6, and 1 case(s), respectively. Progression of the residual tumor was observed in 6 cases (1 adenoid cystic carcinoma and 5 meningiomas). Surgical approach selection plays a vital role in patient prognosis. This novel classification based on the involvement of anatomic space could help surgeons select an appropriate approach to remove the COLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earth system models (ESMs) are important tools for assessing the historical characteristics and predicting the future characteristics of precipitation, yet the quantitative understanding of how these land–atmospheric coupling models perform in simulating precipitation characteristics remains limited. This study conducts a comprehensive evaluation of precipitation changes simulated by 43 ESMs in CMIP5 and 32 ESMs in CMIP6 in Arid Central Asia (ALL) and its two sub-regions for 1959–2005 with reference to Climate Research Unit (CRU) data, and predicts precipitation changes for 2054–2100. Our analyses suggest the following: (a) no single model consistently outperformed the others in all aspects of simulated precipitation variability (annual averages, long-term trends, and climatological monthly patterns); (b) the CMIP5 and CMIP6 model simulations tended to overestimate average annual precipitation for most of the ALL region, especially in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China (XJ); (c) most model simulations projected a stronger increasing trend in average annual precipitation; (d) although all the model simulations reasonably captured the climatological monthly precipitation, there was an underestimation; (e) compared to CMIP5, most CMIP6 model simulations exhibited an enhanced capacity to simulate precipitation across all aspects, although discrepancies persisted in individual sub-regions; (f) it was confirmed that the multi-model ensemble mean (MME) provides a more accurate representation of the three aspects of precipitation compared to the majority of single-model simulations. Lastly, the values of precipitation predicted by the more efficient models across the ALL region and its sub-regions under the different scenarios showed an increasing trend in most seasons. Notably, the strongest increasing trend in precipitation was seen under the high-emission scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weather radar echo extrapolation plays a crucial role in weather forecasting. However, traditional weather radar echo extrapolation methods are not very accurate and do not make full use of historical data. Deep learning algorithms based on Recurrent Neural Networks also have the problem of accumulating errors. Moreover, it is difficult to obtain higher accuracy by relying on a single historical radar echo observation. Therefore, in this study, we constructed the Fusion GRU module, which leverages a cascade structure to effectively combine radar echo data and mean wind data. We also designed the Top Connection so that the model can capture the global spatial relationship to construct constraints on the predictions. Based on the Jiangsu Province dataset, we compared some models. The results show that our proposed model, Cascade Fusion Spatiotemporal Network (CFSN), improved the critical success index (CSI) by 10.7% over the baseline at the threshold of 30 dBZ. Ablation experiments further validated the effectiveness of our model. Similarly, the CSI of the complete CFSN was 0.004 higher than the suboptimal solution without the cross-attention module at the threshold of 30 dBZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinel-type inorganic pigments with intensive color and chemical/thermal stability are showing extensive applications that could be further broadened by color manipulation and improvement of the material properties through nanosizing. In this study, we report the supercritical hydrothermal synthesis of nonstoichiometric spinel-type cobalt gallate nanoparticles (Co–Ga NPs) with controlled color. Without the conventional calcination procedure, NPs with greenish-blue, blue, and yellowish-green colors were synthesized from precursor solutions at pH 7, 9, and 11, respectively, with a low Co/Ga molar ratio of 0.25. X-ray diffraction, scanning/transmission electron microscopy, and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy methods suggest that the products were spinel-type cobalt gallate NPs with high crystallinity and a nonstoichiometric composition. Based on an X-ray absorption fine structure investigation, the prepared nonstoichiometric Co–Ga NPs were found to have different cationic configurations from stoichiometric CoGa2O4 produced by a solid-state reaction during calcination. Meanwhile, the degrees of distortions at tetrahedral and octahedral sites in the NPs were evaluated by Raman spectroscopy. In particular, nonstoichiometric Co–Ga NPs with a blue color were prepared without calcination for the first time and were found to have lower tetrahedral cobalt occupancy but comparable octahedral cobalt occupancy and larger polyhedral distortions at tetrahedral sites when compared to calcined CoGa2O4. We also discuss strategies that could realize Co–Ga NPs with a more brilliant blue color using the present technique based on an investigation of the growth process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Network morphological analysis has emerged as a tool to quantify street network structures, providing a nuanced foundation for evaluating their impacts on traffic safety. Yet, there is a lack of disaggregate-level evidence on the spillover effects and spatial heterogeneity of these impacts. This research conducts a comprehensive, disaggregate-level, multi-scale examination on the overall impacts of street network morphologies on traffic safety. Our study focuses on the frequency of traffic injury collisions over a five-year period across more than 190,000 street links in Greater London. We characterise street-link morphologies at local (0–1 km), meso (0–3 km), and city (0–8 km) scales using a spatial design network analysis. For each spatial scale, we apply extended auto-negative binomial models to examine the overall impact of street-link morphological characteristics on the injury collision frequency, considering both the link being investigated and other surrounding links determined by the spatial scale. We find significant spatial heterogeneity in the overall safety impacts of street-link morphologies. At the local scale, higher farness of a street link corresponds to an overall increase in injury collisions, whereas at the meso and city scales, it indicates an overall decrease. At the local and meso scales, higher betweenness of a street link is associated with an overall increase in injury collisions, but at the city scale, it correlates with an overall decrease. Independent of the spatial scale, a larger diversion ratio of a street link is linked to an overall decrease in injury collisions. These findings are similar to those on killed and seriously injured-only collisions. Our findings suggest that encouraging compact street network structures, which aligns well with New Urbanism and the Compact City policy, may not necessarily be effective for an overall reduction in injury collisions across an entire city. • We examine the overall impacts of street network morphologies at the street-link level on injury collision frequency. • The overall impact of street-link morphologies on traffic safety presents spatial heterogeneity. • Promoting compact street network designs may not be effective for an overall reduction in collisions across an entire city. • We reflect on the limitations of New Urbanism planning and Compact City policy in ensuring traffic safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bladder cancer (BCa) is the fourth most common malignant tumor with a poor prognosis worldwide. Further exploration and research are needed to unmask the underlying roles and molecular mechanisms of circular RNAs. In the current study, our findings showed that circXRN2 suppresses tumor progression driven by histone lactylation by activating the Hippo pathway in human bladder cancer. Methods: RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) followed by circRNA sequencing confirmed circXRN2 as the research object. Overexpression of circXRN2 and knockdown of TAZ/YAP further verified the biological functions in T24 and TCCSUP cells. RIP, immunoprecipitation and coimmunoprecipitation were used to elucidate the interaction between circXRN2 and LATS1. A Seahorse metabolic analyzer was used to determine the glycolytic rate. Cleavage under targets and Tagmentation (CUT&Tag) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) were employed to ensure the regulatory roles of H3K18 lactylation in the transcriptional activity of LCN2. Results: CircXRN2 is aberrantly downregulated in bladder cancer tissues and cell lines. CircXRN2 inhibits the proliferation and migration of tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, circXRN2 serves as a negative regulator of glycolysis and lactate production. Mechanistically, circXRN2 prevents LATS1 from SPOP-mediated degradation by binding to the SPOP degron and then activates the Hippo signaling pathway to exert various biological functions. The circXRN2-Hippo pathway regulatory axis further modulates tumor progression by inhibiting H3K18 lactylation and LCN2 expression in human bladder cancer. Conclusions: CircXRN2 suppresses tumor progression driven by H3K18 lactylation by activating the Hippo signaling pathway in human bladder cancer. Our results indicated novel therapeutic targets and provided promising strategies for clinical intervention in human bladder cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First investigation on machine reading comprehension framework for Chinese spoken language understanding. • Development of the TCM_CLS module with concise architecture for efficient multi-source information fusion. • Multi-task learning for joint slot filling and intent detection using adversarial training and focal loss. • Achievement of new SOTA performance compared with baseline methods. Spoken language understanding (SLU) plays a crucial role in the performance of dialogue systems. It usually includes slot filling and intent detection (SFID) tasks aiming at semantic parsing of utterances. At present, researchers focus mainly on English SLU tasks, while such investigations on Chinese utterances are not sufficient. In this paper, we first propose a reading comprehension based multi-source information fusion network, called ReCoMIF for Chinese SFID tasks by transforming the SLU task into a multi-turn question answering procedure comprising multiple choice for intent detection and span extraction for slot filling. Moreover, we present a TCM_CLS module with a concise architecture composed of TextCNN, MaxPooling, and feed forward network plus the [CLS] representation. Such three TCM_CLS modules are stacked in the proposed ReCoMIF network that can serve as sufficient integration of multi-source information originating from contexts, reading comprehension based queries, and hidden representations concerning intent and slot semantics. Finally, experimental results and ablation studies on three Chinese SLU datasets show that our proposed model can effectively fuse intent and slot information achieved by\ state-of-the-art performance compared with other baseline methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bone marrow metastasis (BMM) is underestimated in gastric cancer (GC). GC with BMM frequently complicate critical hematological abnormalities like diffused intravascular coagulation and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, which constitute a highly aggressive GC (HAGC) subtype. HAGC present a very poor prognosis with peculiar clinical and pathological features when compared with not otherwise specified advanced GC (NAGC). But the molecular mechanisms underlying BMM from GC remain rudimentary. Methods: The transcriptomic difference between HAGC and NAGC were analyzed. Genes that were specifically upregulated in HAGC were identified, and their effect on cell migration and invasion was studied. The function of ACTN2 gene were confirmed by GC cell lines, bone-metastatic animal model and patients' tissues. Furthermore, the molecular mechanism of ACTN2 derived-BMM was explored by multiple immunofluorescence staining, western blot, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and luciferase reporter assays. Results: We elucidated the key mechanisms of BMM depending on the transcriptomic difference between HAGC and NAGC. Five genes specifically upregulated in HAGC were assessed their effect on cell migration and invasion. The ACTN2 gene encoding protein α-Actinin-2 was detected enhanced the metastatic capability and induced BMM of GC cells in mouse models. Mechanically, α-Actinin-2 was involved in filopodia formation where it promoted the Actin filament cross-linking by replacing α-Actinin-1 to form α-Actinin-2:α-Actinin-4 complexes in GC cells. Moreover, NF-κB subunit RelA and α-Actinin-2 formed heterotrimers in the nuclei of GC cells. As a direct target of RelA:α-Actinin-2 heterotrimers, the ACTN2 gene was a positive auto-regulatory loop for α-Actinin-2 expression. Conclusions: We demonstrated a link between filopodia, BMM and ACTN2 activation, where a feedforward activation loop between ACTN2 and RelA is established via actin in response to distant metastasis. Given the novel filopodia formation function and the new mechanism of BMM in GC, we propose ACTN2 as a druggable molecular vulnerability that may provide potential therapeutic benefit against BMM of GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's rapidly aging population has raised a number of challenges, such as the accelerating suburbanization, socio-spatial segregation, inconvenient travel of older adults, as well as the deficiency of community senior care, which makes it vital to build a theoretical framework on human settlement for older adults. This study aims to analyze the previous studies and research trends on human settlement for older adults from several aspects, including the spatial distribution, spatial development pattern of human settlement, social space and travel behavior characteristics, living environment, and the relationship between their health status and built environment. Under the guidance of global programs such as "active aging" and "age-friendly cities," research on human settlement for older adults tends to be multi-disciplinary, integrating the traditional perspective of physical space with logical analysis, obtaining a comprehensive consideration of social, economic, cultural, behavioral, and other socio-spatial perspectives, and forming a relatively complete theory and practice system. Facing the core problems and challenges in the development of human settlement for older adults in China, research needs to be problem-oriented, and devoted to exploring the theoretical framework and practical strategies suitable for our country. Specifically, from the "top-down" perspective, it is recommended to strengthen the strategic guidance, explore patterns of urban senior care by combining market force and government regulation, and optimize urban spatial development patterns and transportation systems for an aging society. From the "bottom-up" perspective, it is necessary to take into account the "equity and efficiency" of urban spatial resource allocation, and explore the theoretical and methodological system for community planning, service facilities, and public space allocation to meet the socio-spatial needs of older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to analyze spatio-temporal changes in habitat quality in Guizhou Province during the 1990–2018 period and identify factors influencing habitat quality. Land-use data for the period were used to evaluate spatio-temporal variations in habitat quality using the InVEST model, and factors influencing habitat quality were analyzed using GeoDetector. According to the results, cultivated land and forestland decreased by 0.48% and 0.88%, respectively, during the study period. Grassland, water, and construction land areas increased, with construction land increasing the most (0.92%) followed by water area (0.37%). The main land-use changes included conversion of cultivated land to forestland, grassland, and construction land. The average habitat quality index for Guizhou Province changed from 0.633 to 0.627 over the 1990–2018 period, showing an overall downward trend. The distribution pattern of habitat quality was spatially "high in the north, south, and, east, and low in the west". The most significant improvement of habitat quality was in the western region, whereas the most significant decline of habitat quality was in the central region. Land-use was the major factor influencing the spatio-temporal variations in habitat quality, and the interactive effect between any two factors was stronger than that of a single factor. Natural factors and human factors co-dominated the temporal-spatial changes in habitat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a promising continuous desalination technology, flow electrode capacitive deionization (FCDI) has received considerable attention. However, poor conductivity and dispersion of the traditional active carbon (AC) flow-electrode limit the properties of FCDI. In order to achieve excellent desalination performance, a flow electrode with good dispersion, low resistance, and high salt adsorption capacity is essential. In this study, nitrogen-doped porous carbon (NPC) was synthesized through one-step pyrolysis process of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid tetrasodium (Na4EDTA). The prepared NPC material showed a high specific surface area (1168.4 m2 g−1), appropriate nitrogen and oxygen doping, excellent hydrophilicity and low resistance. At 1.2 V applied voltage, the desalting experiments showed that the FCDI system based on a NPC flow electrode exhibited a higher average salt removal rate of 0.0459 mg cm−2 min−1, and the salt adsorption capacity (148.93 mg g−1) based on the NPC flow electrode was about 2.3 times larger than that of AC. Furthermore, after continuous desalination cycling for long periods of time, the salt removal efficiency and average salt removal rate remained stable. The results of this study may be useful for the future exploration of high performance electrode materials for FCDI systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to analyze spatio-temporal changes in habitat quality in Guizhou Province during the 1990–2018 period and identify factors influencing habitat quality. Land-use data for the period were used to evaluate spatio-temporal variations in habitat quality using the InVEST model, and factors influencing habitat quality were analyzed using GeoDetector. According to the results, cultivated land and forestland decreased by 0.48% and 0.88%, respectively, during the study period. Grassland, water, and construction land areas increased, with construction land increasing the most (0.92%) followed by water area (0.37%). The main land-use changes included conversion of cultivated land to forestland, grassland, and construction land. The average habitat quality index for Guizhou Province changed from 0.633 to 0.627 over the 1990–2018 period, showing an overall downward trend. The distribution pattern of habitat quality was spatially "high in the north, south, and, east, and low in the west". High habitat quality areas were mainly located in the western part of Guizhou Province, whereas low habitat quality areas were located in the central region. Land-use was the major factor influencing the spatio-temporal variations in habitat quality, and the interactive effect between any two factors was stronger than that of a single factor. Natural factors and human factors co-dominated the temporal-spatial changes in habitat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salp swarm algorithm (SSA) is an excellent meta‐heuristic algorithm, which has been widely used in the engineering field. However, there is still room for improvement in terms of convergence rate and solution accuracy. Therefore, this paper proposes an enhanced parallel salp swarm algorithm based on the Taguchi method (PTSSA). The parallel trick is to split the initial population uniformly into several subgroups and then exchange information among the subgroups after a fixed number of iterations, which speeds up the convergence. Communication strategies are an important component of parallelism techniques. The Taguchi method is widely used in the industry for optimizing product and process conditions. In this paper, the Taguchi method is adopted into the parallelization technique as a novel communication strategy, which improves the robustness and accuracy of the solution. The proposed algorithm was also tested under the CEC2013 test suite. Experimental results show that PTSSA is more competitive than some common algorithms. In addition, PTSSA is applied to optimize the operation of a heatless combined cooling‐power system. Simulation results show that the optimized operation provided by PTSSA is more stable and efficient in terms of operating cost reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a fractional Adams–Simpson-type method for nonlinear fractional ordinary differential equations with fractional order α ∈ (0 , 1) . In our method, a nonuniform mesh is used so that the optimal convergence order can be recovered for non-smooth data. By developing a modified fractional Grönwall inequality, we prove that the method is unconditionally convergent under the local Lipschitz condition of the nonlinear term, and show that with a proper mesh parameter, the method can achieve the optimal convergence order 3 + α even if the given data is not smooth. Under very mild conditions, the nonlinear stability of the method is analyzed by using a perturbation technique. The extensions of the method to multi-term nonlinear fractional ordinary differential equations and multi-order nonlinear fractional ordinary differential systems are also discussed. Numerical results confirm the theoretical analysis results and demonstrate the effectiveness of the method for non-smooth data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a high prevalence of anemia among people living with HIV in Guangxi, China. Therefore, we investigated anemia and opportunistic infections in hospitalized people living with HIV and explored the risk factors related to anemia in people living with HIV to actively prevent anemia in people living with HIV. Methods: We retrospectively studied people living with HIV admitted to Guangxi Chest Hospital from June 2016 to October 2021. Detailed information on the sociodemographic and clinical features of the participants was collected. The X2 test was used to compare the prevalence between the anemic and non-anemic groups. The logistic regression analysis was applied to exclude confounding factors and identify factors related to anemia. Results: Among 5645 patients with HIV, 1525 (27.02%) had anemia. The overall prevalence of mild, moderate, and severe anemia was 4.66%, 14.08%, and 8.27%, respectively. The factors significantly related to increased risk of anemia were CD4 count < 50 cells/µl (aOR = 2.221, 95% CI = [1.775, 2.779]), CD4 count 50–199 cells/µl (aOR = 1.659, 95% CI = [1.327, 2. 073]), female (aOR = 1.644, 95% CI = [1.436, 1.881]) co-infected with HCV (aOR = 1.465, 95% CI = [1.071, 2.002]), PM (aOR = 2.356, 95% CI = [1.950, 2.849]), or TB (aOR = 1.198, 95% CI = [1.053, 1.365]). Conclusions: Within Guangxi of China, 27.02% of hospitalized people living with HIV presented with anemia. Most patients with anemia were in the mild to moderate stage. The low CD4 count, female gender, and concomitant infection with Penicillium marneffei, Hepatitis C virus, or Tuberculosis were independent correlates of anemia. Thus, these findings would be helpful to clinicians in preventing and intervening in anemia in people living with HIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia, but its pathogenesis is not fully understood, and effective drugs to treat or reverse the progression of the disease are lacking. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are abnormally expressed and deregulated in AD and are closely related to the occurrence and development of AD. In addition, the high tissue specificity and spatiotemporal specificity make lncRNAs particularly attractive as diagnostic biomarkers and specific therapeutic targets. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs in AD is essential for developing new treatment strategies. In this review, we discuss the unique regulatory functions of lncRNAs in AD, ranging from Aβ production to clearance, with a focus on their interaction with critical molecules. Additionally, we highlight the advantages and challenges of using lncRNAs as biomarkers for diagnosis or therapeutic targets in AD and present future perspectives in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important signal molecule, nitric oxide (NO) is involved in a variety of physiological and pathophysiological processes, which makes real-time NO detection imperative in the physiological environment. However, probing NO in physiological systems remains a great challenge due to its short half-life, low concentration, rapid diffusion, and easy interference by other chemicals. To be noted, traditional detection methods often require time-consuming sample pretreatment and cannot be used for continuous monitoring in vivo. Herein, we report copper oxide-decorated reduced graphene oxide (rGO/CuO) synthesized via a facile and eco-friendly solvothermal method. By taking advantage of the synergetic effect of CuO and rGO, the rGO/CuO sensor demonstrates impressive electrochemical performance for NO detection with a low detection limit (9.57 nM), wide linear range (90 nM to 138 μM), and high sensitivity (5.48 μA μM−1 cm−2). More importantly, the prepared sensor also shows excellent selectivity, repeatability, reproducibility, long-term operational stability, and fast response for NO detection, which meets the requirements of monitoring of NO released from living cells. Therefore, we believe that the reported rGO/CuO sensor has great potential for in vivo detection and even clinical diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic method is employed for the design and analysis of a small size eddy current (EC) displacement sensor. Simulations are first performed to determine the optimal winding structure and dimensions of the sensor. A linear-fitting approach is then developed for converting the AC displacement signal of the sensor to a DC signal. Finally, a compensation method is proposed for mitigating the temperature drift of the EC sensor under different working temperatures. The experimental results show that the proposed sensor has a sensitivity of approximately 3 μm, a working temperature range of 25–55 °C, and a linearity of ±1.025%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the association between high-density urban built environments and stroke through the spatial regression model. An empirical study based on the disease data of Wuhan in 2015 shows that high-density urban built environments have a significant impact on stroke, and that the city center sees a high prevalence of stroke. Among urban built environment elements, net population density, residential land density, and building density are positively correlated with the risk of stroke, whereas the accessibility of community hospitals, parks, fast-food shops, and bus stops is negatively correlated with it. The mechanism analysis demonstrates that urban built environments have an important impact on stroke through such factors as the natural environment, physical activity, dietary habits, and social capital. Accordingly, the paper proposes that during the healthy city planning process in China, it is essential to reduce net population density and building density and relocate the older adults in city centers. In addition, measures should be taken to improve public service facilities at the block level and to control the risk of stroke in the high-density urban built environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This article attempted to describe the efficacy and safety of 1064QNYL in combination with other treatments for refractory melasma. Methods: Two researchers independently retrieved randomized controlled trials (RCTs) according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Primary outcome was evaluated with MASI and mMASI scores in control group and experiment group. The secondary outcome was evaluated with MI scores. We calculated 95% CI of standardized mean difference (SMD) and heterogeneity of the included literature by Higgins I2 test, and assessed publication bias by Funnel plots, Egger's, and Begg's tests. Results: A total of 12 articles including 322 subjects were analyzed. Experiment group was treated with 1064QNYL combined with single treatment (e.g., PDL, IPL, RF, and TA). Control group was treated with 1064QNYL alone. A greater reduction of Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI)/modified Melasma Area and Severity Index (mMASI) scores were shown in experiment group than that in control group at the end of the treatment (SMD, −0.37; 95% CI −0.70 to −0.04, p = 0.03, I2 = 33%). The SMD of MI scores further supported this conclusion by −0.32 (95% CI −0.63 to −0.02, p = 0.04, I2 = 27%). As for adverse events (AEs), combined treatment gave rise to more mild burning, stinging, and erythema that resolved spontaneously. Several studies reported focal purpura, punctate leukoderma, hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, and so on. Conclusion: Combined 1064QNYL treatment was better than single laser treatment, with the highest short‐term benefit and long‐term follow‐up to maintain the effect in favor of combined treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumers' awareness of environmental protection is gradually strengthened, and they often consider environmental protection characteristics of products during purchasing products. Based on the characteristic of consumers' dual preferences for product quality and environmental friendliness, this paper constructs a novel closed-loop supply chain with network externalities for new products and remanufactured products under different waste product recycling channel strategies. It discusses the influence of product recycling channel strategies and network externalities on the optimal decision of the company. By establishing the Stackelberg game model, the analysis found that the retail price of new products and remanufactured products is not affected by network externalities and recycling channel strategies, even if the wholesale price of remanufactured products increases with the influence of network externalities. The changing trend of market demand for new products and remanufactured products is different between products with network externalities and without network externalities. When the cost of remanufactured products is within certain range, the existence of network externalities makes the market demand for new products and remanufactured products increase simultaneously. Our study also found that even if products have positive network externalities that increases consumer utility, when the cost of remanufactured products is outside certain range, the company's profit will be higher when products have no network externalities than that when products have network externalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Olfactory dysfunction indicates a higher risk of developing dementia. However, the potential structural and functional changes are still largely unknown. A total of 236 participants were enrolled, including 45 Alzheimer's disease (AD) individuals and 191dementia-free individuals. Detailed study methods, comprising neuropsychological assessment and olfactory identification test (University of Pennsylvania smell identification test, UPSIT), as well as structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were applied in this research. The dementia-free individuals were divided into two sub-groups based on olfactory score: dementia-free with olfactory dysfunction (DF-OD) sub-group and dementia-free without olfactory dysfunction (DF-NOD) sub-group. The results were analyzed for subsequent intergroup comparisons and correlations. The cognitive assessment was conducted again three years later. (i) At dementia-free stage, there was a positive correlation between olfactory score and cognitive function. (ii) In dementia-free group, the volume of crucial brain structures involved in olfactory recognition and processing (such as amygdala, entorhinal cortex and basal forebrain volumes) are positively associated with olfactory score. (iii) Compared to the DF-NOD group, the DF-OD group showed a significant reduction in olfactory network (ON) function. (iv) Compared to DF-NOD group, there were significant functional connectivity (FC) decline between PCun_L(R)_4_1 in the precuneus of posterior default mode network (pDMN) and the salience network (SN) in DF-OD group, and the FC values decreased with falling olfactory scores. Moreover, in DF-OD group, the noteworthy reduction in FC were observed between PCun_L(R)_4_1 and amygdala, which was a crucial component of ON. (v) The AD conversion rate of DF-OD was 29.41%, while the DF-NOD group was 12.50%. The structural and functional changes in the precuneus were also observed in AD and were more severe. In addition to the olfactory circuit, the precuneus is a critical structure in the odor identification process, whose abnormal function underlies the olfactory identification impairment of dementia-free individuals. • The olfactory circuit is impaired in olfactory dysfunction among dementia-free. • Abnormal function of precuneus causes olfactory dysfunction in dementia-free. • The precuneus's structure and function also change in Alzheimer's disease. • Olfactory identification ability can be a clinical marker for Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large area estimation of forest canopy closure (FCC) using remotely sensed data is of high interest in monitoring forest changes and forest health, as well as in assessing forest ecological services. The accurate estimation of FCC over the regional or global scale is challenging due to the difficulty of sample acquisition and the slow processing efficiency of large amounts of remote sensing data. To address this issue, we developed a novel bounding envelope methodology based on vegetation indices (BEVIs) for determining vegetation and bare soil endmembers using the normalized differences vegetation index (NDVI), modified bare soil index (MBSI), and bare soil index (BSI) derived from Landsat 8 OLI and Sentinel-2 image within the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, then combined the NDVI with the dimidiate pixel model (DPM), one of the most commonly used spectral-based unmixing methods, to map the FCC distribution over an area of more than 90,000 km2. The key processing was the determination of the threshold parameter in BEVIs that characterizes the spectral boundary of vegetation and soil endmembers. The results demonstrated that when the threshold equals 0.1, the extraction accuracy of vegetation and bare soil endmembers is the highest with the threshold range given as (0, 0.3), and the estimated spatial distribution of FCC using both Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 images were consistent, that is, the area with high canopy density was mainly distributed in the western mountainous region of Chifeng city. The verification was carried out using independent field plots. The proposed approach yielded reliable results when the Landsat 8 data were used (R2 = 0.6, RMSE = 0.13, and 1-rRMSE = 80%), and the accuracy was further improved using Sentinel-2 images with higher spatial resolution (R2 = 0.81, RMSE = 0.09, and 1-rRMSE = 86%). The findings demonstrate that the proposed method is portable among sensors with similar spectral wavebands, and can assist in mapping FCC at a regional scale while using multispectral satellite imagery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies the cooperative advertising problem of a two-period online supply chain consisting of a manufacturer and an online retail platform. The manufacturer provides national advertising in the first period to build the brand image and increase the awareness of the product. And the online retail platform provides platform advertising for selling the product to consumers on its platform during two periods. The manufacturer and the online retail platform may choose different cooperative advertising strategies for national advertising and platform advertising, which are one-way subsidy strategy, two-way subsidy strategy, and revenue-share strategy. We formulate a Stackelberg game model to study the cooperative advertising problem by taking price and advertising effect into account and analyze how the profit is influenced in different cooperative advertising strategies. We find that under the revenue-share strategy, the manufacturer provides a higher subsidy rate for the online retail platform advertising than that in other cooperative advertising strategies. Interestingly, there are conditions where, while just the manufacturer contributes a percentage of the platform advertising and the online retail platform has no effort on the national advertising, the total profit would be better than that in revenue-share strategy even in revenue-share strategy, the cooperative relationship is closer between the manufacture and the online retail platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin disease, characterized by depigmentation and epidermal melanocytes loss. The specific mechanisms underlying vitiligo have not been fully understood. As a result, treating vitiligo is a dermatological challenge. Recently, much attention has been paid to the dysfunction and interaction of organelles under environmental stress. The impaired organelles could generate misfolded proteins, particularly accumulated toxic premelanosome protein (PMEL) amyloid oligomers, activating the autoimmune system and cause melanocyte damage. Unfolded protein response (UPR) dysfunction accelerates toxic PMEL accumulation. Herein, we presented a narrative review on UPR's role in vitiligo, the misfolded PMEL‐induced attack of the autoimmune system under autophagy dysfunction caused by abnormal activation of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels and the background of UPR system defects in melanocytes. All of these mechanisms were integrated to form UPR/PMEL‐TRP channels/autophagy axis, providing a new understanding of vitiligo pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer remains the primary cause of death globally. Studies have increasingly explored the role of greenspace in mitigating lung cancer risks, yet research gaps persist. First, while the direct spatial effect of greenspace has received attention, its potential spillover effects, driven by human mobility and air pollution dispersion, remain underexamined. Second, despite prevalent assertions of greenspace as an air purifier, the extent to which it moderates the air pollution-lung cancer association has yet to be fully understood. Third, the evaluation of greenspace's effects, predominately analyzed linearly a priori , demands exploration into their potential nonlinearity. We utilize three-year lung cancer datasets from 228 counties in China, to investigate the spatial, moderating, and threshold effects of greenspaces on lung cancer incidence in relation to air pollution. Employing spatial econometric and threshold models, our findings indicate that greenspace reduces lung cancer incidence in both local and neighboring counties. We also observe a diminution in the detrimental impact of air pollution on lung cancer incidence in areas with higher greenspace, especially when the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index surpasses a given threshold. These insights contribute to an enhanced understanding of greenspace's role in lung cancer prevention and could inform policies on greenspace expansion prioritization. • Exposure to greenspaces can effectively mitigate the risk of lung cancer in both local and neighboring regions. • Greenspace can moderate the PM 2.5 -lung cancer association, especially when the NDVI surpasses a specific threshold. • The greenspace-related interventions aimed at enhancing lung cancer resilience at the regional level should be implemented. • The critical value of greenspace could be regarded as the essential requirement for regional urban planning policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lateral instability of the couplers seriously threaten the operation safety of 20,000-tonne heavy-haul trains. It is essential to dynamically monitor the coupler yaw angle (CYA) in order to evaluate the operation stability of the train. However, the traditional direct measurement methods for CYA are hindered by the harsh service environment, making it difficult to maintain long-term stability in monitoring. To address these issues, within this paper a multi-task deep multiple kernel extreme learning machine (MT-DMKELM) is developed to quantitatively identify CYA based on the multi-channel relative displacements between the car body and frame (RDCFs). Firstly, the correlation of multi-channel RDCFs is analyzed based on the dynamics model, and the data fusion of strong correlation channels is achieved through an extreme learning machine auto-encoder. Then, a deep network for feature extraction is created by stacking numerous multiple kernel extreme learning machine auto-encoders. Further, the high-level abstract features are input to multiple kernel extreme learning machine for regression estimation of CYA. In addition, the optimal model parameters are obtained using the genetic mutation particle swarm optimization for MT-DMKELM to improve the CYA identification performance. Finally, both dynamics simulation and field test are conducted to confirm the capability of the proposed methods in CYA identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comprehensive cohesion of the digital economy, structural deviation adjustment, and green development is a crucial step towards promoting high-quality economic growth and realizing carbon peak and carbon neutrality. This paper probes the impact of intra- and inter-regional digital economy on carbon emissions, considering the mediating effect of structural deviation, utilizing panel data from 267 prefecture-level cities in China spanning the years 2011–2019. The findings reveal the following key insights. First, the connection between the digital economy and carbon emissions within cities follows an inverted "U" shape. In the early stages, the digital economy leads to an average increase in carbon emissions of 0.069%. However, in the later stages, the digitized economy markedly decrease emissions. Second, both the digital economy and carbon emissions exhibit spatial spillover effects. Within the region, DE has a significant nonlinear spillover effect on CO 2 emissions in the neighboring regions, with the spatial decay boundary of this effect extending up to 380 km. Third, analysis of the impact mechanism reveals that the digital economy mitigates local and neighboring carbon dioxide emissions by adjusting structural deviation. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the digital economy is more likely to have a carbon emission reduction effect in cities that are not involved in the industrial transfer and those that do not belong to the old industrial base. These findings provide a rationale and policy reference for China to harness the opportunities presented by digital economy development and to achieve the "dual-carbon" goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A laboratorial facility has been built for the generation and obtainment of cerium (Ce)-bearing aerosols with the aid of chemical explosions in an airtight tank. The characteristics of particles of Ce-bearing aerosols, including size distributions and evolution, morphology and chemical composition, and variation of crystal structures, have been systematically examined by combining in situ measurements (aerosol spectrometer) with off-line analysis techniques, for instance, Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Focused Ion Beam (FIB) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The experimental results indicate that the formation mechanisms of Ce-bearing aerosols under chemical explosions depend on different morphological characteristics of Ce materials, composition of the pellets and explosive dosage. The kinetics of the growth of aerosol particles formed by Ce tablets can include macroscopic decomposition and microscopic diffusion. The growth rate of particles is controlled by the adhesion coefficient between grains and the formed CeO2 concentration. A sea of Pb atoms can prevent the reaction of Ce atoms with oxygen radicals, and perhaps retard the diffusion of oxygen radicals to the surface of CeO2 particles. The dendritic particles with monoclinic Ce6O11 (5CeO2·CeO) as the main phase are dominant in the Ce-bearing aerosols formed by Ce powder. The temperature gradient may cause the difference in the rate of inter-particle advance to become larger, and the inhomogeneity of inter-particle growth more evident, which makes it facile to form dendritic structures. The formation feature of Ce-bearing aerosols by CeO2 shows an ocean of particles with irregular fragment structures, the reaction mechanism of which can in fact be described by the diffusion characteristics of oxygen defects on the surface of CeO2−x, resulting in the coexistence of Ce(IV) and Ce(III) in aerosol particles. Ce is an excellent surrogate and homologue of lanthanide elements to the physical chemistry of actinides mainly due to the f-electrons, which have several identical properties. Consequently, investigations regarding the formation mechanisms of Ce-bearing aerosols may offer valuable data for the discussion of plutonium (Pu)-bearing aerosols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A variety of policies have been implemented around the world in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study originally aimed to identify and compare policy responses of different countries and their effects on the pandemic. It quickly evolved into an identification of the heterogeneity among existing policies and the challenges in making meaningful comparisons of the impact of these policies.Methods: The process of collecting and comparing data from different sources was analysed through inductive thematic analysis to understand the obstacles that impede research designed to compare COVID-19 data and related policies.Results: We identified the following obstacles: (1) no single reputable source of information and too much noise; (2) a lack of standards for how to measure and report data across countries; (3) variations in the content, implementation and enforcement of policies; and (4) politics, instead of science, leading the efforts in pandemic management.Conclusion: Heterogeneity in existing policies makes it challenging to compare the effects of various policies worldwide on the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings call for an automatically updated informatics infrastructure across the globe for collecting and maintaining standardized data from multiple sources. There is a strong need for steadfast utilization of scientific and technical experts to inform and influence health policy. Increased investment in public health and emergency planning is essential to overcome the current pandemic, as well as future public health emergencies. Focused leadership and collaboration from world leaders in a unified mission to decrease the mortality and morbidity of the COVID-19 pandemic is imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The premixed H 2 /air combustion with varied porosity of porous medium (PM) is experimentally and numerically studied. The influences of porosity and arrangement of PM as well as the effects of multi-PM-layers on combustion characteristics and energy conversion are comprehensively investigated. The results indicate that a small porosity of porous medium is beneficial to improve flame stability and heat transfer, while it is adverse to the component flow and flame propagation. For the combustor inserted with multi-PM-layers, the larger-small porosities setting balances their opposing effects on the fluidity and the thermal performance, resulting in higher combustion efficiency and radiation temperature. With the increase of flow rate, effects of PM layout and porosity on combustion and heat transfer are remarkably enhanced. Furthermore, the radiation power of the micro thermophotovoltaic (TPV) system is significantly improved with the increase of radiation temperature. It is found that the combustor inserted with three PM layers (porosity p = 0.95 + 0.9+0.85) achieves a high electrical power output and system efficiency, which is more appropriate for the application of micro TPV or micro power generator. It contributes to chemical energy release and heat transmission for further utilization. Geometries of the combustor, Comparison of gas temperature and mass fraction of species. Radiation power, electrical output and efficiency of the combustors, Pictures of premixed hydrogen/air combustion in the combustors. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing research is investigating the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on older adults, but relatively little is known about the complexities of community-dwelling older adults' lived experiences during this historical period. This study aimed to address this gap in the literature by taking a bottom-up, theory-generating, inductive approach. Older adults living in Central Texas (N = 200; age, 65–92 years, M = 73.6 ± 6.33) responded to a telephone interview during June–August 2020. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. We identified three key themes: positive, mixed, and negative experiences, with a total of 11 subthemes. A thematic map was developed, illustrating potential connections to mental health. These findings reveal the complexities of older adults' lived experiences during COVID-19 and have implications for developing aging-related policies and community-based interventions during future public health crises. Recognizing the complexities of older adults' lived experiences, tailored policies and interventions can be developed to effectively leverage older adults' effective coping and resilience while at the same time helping overcome negative effects among specific subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Opioids or sedatives misuse was associated with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors. • There was a significant sex difference in effects of sedatives misuse on non-suicidal self-injury. • The effects of sedative misuse on non-suicidal self-injury were stronger in girls. Background To investigate the sex differences in the associations of nonmedical use of opioids and sedatives with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts. Methods This study presents secondary analyses of the 2015 National School-based Chinese Adolescents Health Survey. A total of 152, 527 students (aged 10-20 years) completing standard questionnaires were included in analyses. Appropriate sampling weights were utilized. Results After adjusting for the demographic profile, academic pressure, and depressive symptoms, nonmedical use of opioids (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.82, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.69~1.96) and sedatives (aOR=2.03, 95% CI=1.90~2.18) remain positively associated with NSSI, and adolescents who reported opioids or sedatives misuse were at a higher risk for suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. A significant sex difference was found in the effects of nonmedical use of sedatives on NSSI, with the effects in girls stronger than that in boys (Ratio of two odds ratio [ROR]=1.18, P =0.011). Girls reporting nonmedical use of opioids and sedatives also had an increased risk of suicidal thoughts than boys (opioids misuse: ROR=1.25, P =0.002; sedatives misuse: ROR=1.21, P =0.006). Limitations Causal inference could not be tested due to the cross-sectional design. Conclusion Although nonmedical use of opioids or sedatives was associated with the increased risks of NSSI, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts among both boys and girls, there exist significant sex differences in these associations, and girls exhibited a higher risk of NSSI and suicidal thoughts than boys. Intervention strategies are needed to help vulnerable adolescents (e.g., those involved in NMUPD), with a focus on girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background To investigate the sex differences in the associations of nonmedical use of opioids and sedatives with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts. Methods This study presents secondary analyses of the 2015 National School-based Chinese Adolescents Health Survey. A total of 152, 527 students (aged 10-20 years) completing standard questionnaires were included in analyses. Appropriate sampling weights were utilized. Results After adjusting for the demographic profile, academic pressure, and depressive symptoms, nonmedical use of opioids (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.82, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.69~1.96) and sedatives (aOR=2.03, 95% CI=1.90~2.18) remain positively associated with NSSI, and adolescents who reported opioids or sedatives misuse were at a higher risk for suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. A significant sex difference was found in the effects of nonmedical use of sedatives on NSSI, with the effects in girls stronger than that in boys (Ratio of two odds ratio [ROR]=1.18, P=0.011). Girls reporting nonmedical use of opioids and sedatives also had an increased risk of suicidal thoughts than boys (opioids misuse: ROR=1.25, P=0.002; sedatives misuse: ROR=1.21, P=0.006). Limitations Causal inference could not be tested due to the cross-sectional design. Conclusion Although nonmedical use of opioids or sedatives was associated with the increased risks of NSSI, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts among both boys and girls, there exist significant sex differences in these associations, and girls exhibited a higher risk of NSSI and suicidal thoughts than boys. Intervention strategies are needed to help vulnerable adolescents (e.g., those involved in NMUPD), with a focus on girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this opinion paper, we argue that global health crises are also information crises. Using as an example the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) epidemic, we (a) examine challenges associated with what we term "global information crises"; (b) recommend changes needed for the field of information science to play a leading role in such crises; and (c) propose actionable items for short‐ and long‐term research, education, and practice in information science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Network pharmacology is used with bioinformatic tools to broaden the understanding of drugs' potential targets and the intersections with key genes of particular disease. Here we applied network pharmacology to collect testable hypotheses about the multi-targets mechanism of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) against systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods: Firstly, we predicted the potential targets of HCQ. Secondly, we got the related genes of SLE returned from databases. Thirdly, the intersections of the potential targets (HCQ) and related genes (SLE) were analyzed with gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment. Finally, we validated our predictions of the potential targets by performing docking studies with HCQ. Results: The results suggest that the efficacy of HCQ against SLE is mainly associated with the targets of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) and CDK1, which regulate PI3K/Akt/GSK3β as well as interferon (IFN) signaling pathway. Biological process of the network associated with the three targets is concentrated in the inhibition of immune response, negative regulation of gene expression and regulation of immune system process. Molecular docking analysis proves that hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking are the main forms of interaction. Conclusions: Our research provides protein targets affected by HCQ in the treatment of SLE. Three key targets (CDK2, ESR1 and CDK1) involving 1766 proteins become the multi-targets mechanism of HCQ in the treatment of SLE. As well, the research also provides a new idea for introducing network pharmacology into the evaluation of the drugs with multi-targets in dermatology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults are in triple jeopardy during COVID-19: compared with younger people, older adults are (1) more likely to develop serious conditions and experience higher mortality; (2) less likely to obtain high quality information or services online; and (3) more likely to experience social isolation and loneliness. Hybrid solutions, coupling online and offline strategies, are invaluable in ensuring the inclusion of vulnerable populations. Most of these solutions require no new inventions. Finding the financial resources for a rapid, well-coordinated implementation is the biggest challenge. Setting up the requisite support systems and digital infrastructure is important for the present and future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haeme oxygenase (HO-1) affords protection against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury; however, its effects on liver regeneration remain poorly explored. Our previous studies have shown that HO-1 is probably involved in liver regeneration, but its role in small-for-size syndrome (SFSS) is still unclear. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of HO-1 on small-for-size graft (SFSG) and the underlying mechanism. Knockout of HO-1 rats by TALEN technique. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect HO-1 nuclear translocation. Haeme oxygenase activity was measured by detecting the amount of carbon monoxide (CO) generated from cell lysates. Flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis and cell cycle. Western blot were performed to measure the expression level of HO-1 protein. We identified that HO-1 was involved in SFSG regeneration; HO-1-knockout rats demonstrated significantly decreased liver proliferation and recovery. Interestingly, our results showed HO-1-induced SFSG regeneration was more likely to be the primary protector against SFSS than IRI. Furthermore, we verified the nuclear translocation of HO-1 and its protective effect on hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) damage in clone9 cells. Our results indicated that the HO-1 protein itself rather than heme breakdown metabolites might play a key role in liver regeneration. The HO-1 protein itself rather than its metabolites possess a protective effect on small-for-size graft (SFSG) against SFSS via nuclear translocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing tendency to create an accelerated judicial approach to business sales by plaiting the informal approach and the state-supplied statutory approach when dealing with corporate distress. This article investigates the extent to which formal insolvency procedures in the UK and the USA can be customised through pre-planning to achieve business sales and critically evaluates the challenges brought about by the plaiting. It is argued that the accelerated approach to business sales in insolvency tends to shift the key properties of the statutory procedure from creditor coordination and plan formulation towards verification of pre-arranged transactions. In this way it creates a vacuum of control over the quality of business decision-making and eliminates the inclusiveness of the statutory procedure leaving ample room for rent-seeking by insiders. To mitigate these deficiencies the article suggests a more responsive approach with increased accountability and better-equipped evaluation to control abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The PSR indicator system for Yunnan's ecological security (ES) was developed. • Yunnan's ES had an overall improvement during 2000–2020. • Yunnan's ES had risen at a slower rate than other southwest provinces since 2011. • Scientific theoretical guidance was for Yunnan's ES sustainable development. Yunnan Province is part of the Yun-Gun Plateau in southwest China with rich ecological resources and special geographic features, resulting in considerable ecological security. This study used the pressure-state-response (PSR) model to vertically evaluate Yunnan's ecological security and horizontally compare ecological security between Yunnan and other four neighbouring provinces (Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Guangxi) during 2000–2020. We also elaborated on the ecological security of Yunnan's unique geographical features, such as plateau lakes, karst mountains, and tropical rainforest areas. The results show that the ecological security in Yunnan Province improved overall, with a slow increase (2000–2006), a fluctuating decline (2007–2012), and a sharp jump (2013–2020). The ecological security level climbed from 'critical safe' to 'comparative safety'. The pressure layer was the largest contributor to the increase from 2000 to 2011, whereas the response layer was the main determinant of the upward trend since 2012. Despite its better performance early in the study period, Yunnan's ecological security index (ESI) rose at a lower rate since 2011 than ESIs of neighbouring provinces in the southwest. Within Yunnan, unique geographical regions have roughly consistent ESIs as the entire province. The exception was the tropical rainforest area, with lower ESI than in other parts of Yunnan. We then discussed implications for enhancing ecological security in Yunnan, including real-time monitoring platforms, green innovations and different environmental regulations. The results provide insight beneficial to the improvement of ecological-security evaluation and the ecological sustainable development of Yunnan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • F-FCDI process was constructed and successfully applied to the removal and recovery of heavy metal ions. • Compared with traditional FCDI, F-FCDI had higher ion removal efficiency, faster removal rate and lower energy consumption for removing Cu2+. • F-FCDI device can effectively enrich Cu2+ and the concentration times amounted to 28.2 after 48 h continuous cycle process. • The removal efficiency of some other metal ions reached more than 90% in F-FCDI system. In view of the pollution of heavy metals to the environment and the importance for the industrial production, the removal and recovery of heavy metals from various water system is of great importance. In this study, a novel four-chamber flow electrode capacitive deionization (F-FCDI) process is constructed and successfully applied to the removal and recovery of heavy metal ions. Compared with conventional flow electrode capacitive deionization (FCDI) system, the F-FCDI system exhibits higher salt removal efficiency, faster salt removal rate, and lower energy consumption. The effect of different operating parameters on the removal efficiency of copper ions by F-FCDI system is studied, including the initial metal ions concentrations, the applied voltage, and the activated carbon content. The enrichment performance of the constructed F-FCDI system was evaluated under the optimal conditions (applied voltage 1.2 V, 5 wt% activated carbon content). 2000 mL Cu2+ solution with initial concentration 100 ppm was recycled in the F-FCDI system for 48 h and successfully enriched to 50 mL of concentrate solution. The enrichment factors reached 28.5 times, and the removal and enrichment of Cu2+ were realized synchronously. The removal efficiency of some other metal ions, like Ca2+, Mg2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, Co2+ was also evaluated. The removal efficiency can also reach more than 90% in F-FCDI system (initial concentrations 100 ppm). This study provides reference value for the removal and recovery of heavy metal ions in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]