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Pre-match ritualized behavior have long been a topic of study in applied sport psychology. However, most of the above studies focus on pre-established rituals that make it difficult to explore the clear causal relationship of the ritualized behavior, particularly its underlying mechanisms. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of athletes' ritualized behavior on self-control under competition pressure. One hundred and forty-six college athletes were recruited. This study used a two-factor between design 2 (competition pressure: low vs. high) × 3 (behavior type: ritualized behavior vs. random behavior vs. control group). Based on the Shooter-type Go/No-go task, the dependent variable was the average number of loops and the error rates of 10-meter air pistol task in virtual reality. We found that ritualized behavior had a moderate impact on the average number of loops [F(1, 140) = 5.13, p =.007, ηp2 = 0.068] and error rates [F(2, 140) = 11.29, p <.001, ηp2 = 0.139], and it was more beneficial for error rate under competition pressure [F(2, 140) = 3.18, p =.045, ηp2 = 0.043], while the symbolic meaning of ritualized behavior promotes self-control by improving self-efficacy and autonomous motivation via a top-down processing system. The psychological feature of ritualized behavior may serve as an important explanatory mechanism for its enhancing effect on self-control under competition pressure. This study supports and integrates the Precaution Theory and Self-determination Theory. In the future, researchers can design unique ritualized behaviors based on embodied cognition to help athletes in different sports groups. Lay Summary: In the arena, the audience cannot only see the athletes' wonderful sports movements, but also, all kinds of ritualized behaviors. Through engaging in ritualized behavior as a "pregame booster", athletes can improve self-control on shooting performance. Compared with the low-pressure situation, ritualized behavior was more beneficial for self-control under high competition pressure situations. Athletes can improve self-control on sports performance through enacting ritualized behavior. Moreover, under high competition pressure situations produces the greatest benefit. Sport psychology practitioners should try to understand psychological feature (symbolic meaning) as the most important component of athletes' participation in ritualized behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on distributed consensus optimization problems with coupled constraints over time-varying multi-agent networks, where the global objective is the finite sum of all agents' private local objective functions, and decision variables of agents are subject to coupled equality and inequality constraints and a compact convex subset. Each agent exchanges information with its neighbors and processes local data. They cooperate to agree on a consensual decision vector that is an optimal solution to the considered optimization problems. We integrate ideas behind dynamic average consensus and primal-dual methods to develop a distributed algorithm and establish its sublinear convergence rate. In numerical simulations, to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, we compare it with some related methods by the Neyman–Pearson classification problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence of geographic variation in child maltreatment report rates among Latine families is growing. This study investigates whether structural community characteristics, namely rurality and Latine ethnic density, associate with variation in Latine child maltreatment rates across 925 US counties. Using ten years of cross-sectional data from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), ACS and USDA, OLS regression models examined rurality and Latine density's association with child maltreatment report and substantiation rates. Rurality associated with increased maltreatment rates; however, Latine ethnic density buffered this across most maltreatment subtypes. Results highlight a complex interaction between ethnicity, rurality, and maltreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimization problems with least constraint violation have many important practical backgrounds. The related works in the literature normally focus on the norm square measure function and the classical augmented Lagrangian method is proved to be suitable for finding an approximate solution. This paper considers the constrained convex optimization problem with the least constraint violation under a general measure function. The properties of the conjugate dual associated with the measure function of the shifted problem are discussed through the relations between the dual function and the optimal value function. The differentiability of the dual function associated with the measure function is proved. The properties of augmented Lagrangian method induced by the measure function are characterized in terms of the dual function. The optimality conditions for the problem with the least constraint violation are established in term of the augmented Lagrangian. It is shown that the augmented Lagrangian method has the properties that the sequence of shift measure values is decreasing, the sequence of multipliers is unbounded, and the sequence of shifts converges to the least violated shift under an extra assumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel one-step liquid plasma-assisted particle deposition and sintering (LPDS) method is used to prepare a ZrC–ZrO 2 nanocomposite ceramic coating on a TiAlNb medium-entropy alloy to enhance its ablation resistance. For comparison, a conventional plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) ceramic coating is fabricated on a substrate without ZrC particles. Results show that numerous ZrC particles are introduced into the coating, accompanied by partial oxidation to ZrO 2 during the LPDS. The thickness of the nanocomposite coating increases significantly by approximately 11.4 times compared with that of the PEO coating. At 1000 °C, the ablation thickening of the ZrC–ZrO 2 nanocomposite coating is approximately 1/4 of that of the substrate after ablation in air. Moreover, 17.88% and 2.83% of the substrate surface and PEO coating are peeled, respectively, whereas no peeling occurred in the ZrC–ZrO 2 nanocomposite coating. This can be attributed to the high melting point and exceptional toughness of ZrO 2 , which allow it to absorb the stress caused by thermal shocks and inhibit crack formation. A thick nanocomposite coating is crucial for protecting the substrate by preventing oxygen from permeating the coating and oxidizing the substrate. Additionally, the glass phase of SiO 2 densifies the pores and cracks in the coating, thereby significantly inhibiting the inward diffusion of oxygen and preventing ablation. Therefore, LPDS is a novel strategy for designing and fabricating multifunctional coatings to enhance the thermal protection of alloy substrates via the incorporation of various functional particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite cylindrical shell (CCS) structure are a number of engineering applications in aerospace, civil engineering, ordnance industry, sports equipment and other fields because of their excellent mechanical properties, low density and strong design. In this study, the classification, preparation technology and mechanical test of CCS are summarized. The research on the axial compression strength of CCS is reviewed. The theory of axial compression elasticity and the strength criterion of orthotropic composite materials are analyzed, and the strength criterion is compared. Finally, the basic theory of instability and buckling is deeply analyzed, and the stability theory of CCS is analyzed in detail. In order to provide a new reference for future scientific research and engineering application, the research difficulties are given in the conclusion, and the future research direction is predicted. Highlights: Comparing and analyzing the classification, preparation technology and mechanical properties of composite cylindrical shells (CCS) comprehensively.Summarizing and analyzing the axial compression strength of CCS in depth, and analyzing the theory of axial compression elasticity and the strength criterion of orthotropic composite materials thoroughly.Analyzing the basic theory of instability and buckling in depth, and analyzing the stability theory of CCS in detail.Giving the research difficulty of composite cylindrical shell, and predicting the future development direction of CCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)‐based polymers demonstrate great potential for applications in flexible and wearable electronics but show low piezoelectric coefficients (e.g., −d33 < 30 pC N−1). The effective improvement for the piezoelectricity of PVDF is achieved by manipulating its semicrystalline structures. However, there is still a debate about which component is the primary contributor to piezoelectricity. Therefore, current methods to improve the piezoelectricity of PVDF can be classified into modulations of the amorphous phase, the crystalline region, and the crystalline–amorphous interface. Here, the basic principles and measurements of piezoelectric coefficients for soft polymers are first discussed. Then, three different categories of structural modulations are reviewed. In each category, the physical understanding and strategies to improve the piezoelectric performance of PVDF are discussed. In particular, the crucial role of the oriented amorphous fraction at the crystalline–amorphous interface in determining the piezoelectricity of PVDF is emphasized. At last, the future development of high performance piezoelectric polymers is outlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spanking and parental verbal aggression are potentially toxic stressors that can negatively affect children's academic achievement by disrupting mental skills like executive function. Yet little empirical evidence has been provided for this mediating pathway. This study used data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Cohort of 2010–2011 (n = 11,421) to examine the associations between early childhood exposure to spanking and parental verbal aggression and subsequent academic achievement. We also investigated the mechanism for these associations by exploring the mediating role of executive function within those associations. Findings revealed that spanking and parental verbal aggression in kindergarten and first grade were negatively associated with reading and math scores in fifth grade, controlling for demographics and initial academic performance. Executive function (i.e., inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility and working memory) accounted for more than half (50%–57%) and more than one fourth (24%–31%) of the total effects of spanking and verbal aggression on academic achievement, respectively. Findings provide important evidence for early intervention programs aiming to promote children's academic achievement and executive function by interfering or preventing harsh discipline. Highlights: We examined the pathway from spanking and verbal aggression in early childhood to academic achievement in later school years through executive function.Path analysis results show executive function was a significant mediator in the negative associations between academic achievement in fifth grade and early exposure to spanking and aggression.Besides avoiding harsh parenting, intervention programs to support child academic achievement could also target promoting executive function development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flourishing, as an integrated conceptualization, is a specific perspective of well‐being which focuses on one's emotional status and psychosocial functioning. As flourishing is a vital determinant for the development of adolescents, this study aims to better understand extent and quality of the flourishing of left‐behind children in rural China from a strength‐based orientation rather than the traditional deficit approach. In line with an ecological system perspective, one's flourishing is intertwined with microfactors and macrofactors. Herein, this study combines social capital theory and self‐determination theory to construct an integrative framework to explore how two specific microfactors and macrofactors influence the flourishing of left‐behind children. Altogether, 995 Chinese rural adolescent respondents (57.2% [N = 573] male and 52.3% [N = 520] LBC, Mage = 12.56 years) filled out a self‐report questionnaire that included the Social Capital Scale, Basic Psychological Needs Scale and Flourishing Scale. This study performed bivariate correlation analysis, regression analysis and mediation effect analysis through SPSS 26 and PROCESS 3.2 macro. Results indicate that (1) left‐behind children with more social capital experience higher levels of flourishing and (2) basic psychological needs have an indirect effect on the relationship between social capital and flourishing. The findings underscore the importance of constructing a synthetic framework to support the flourishing left‐behind children. They also indicate that the social networks and social resources for left‐behind children be expanded. Finally, results suggest that more attention should be given to fostering left‐behind children's innate growth through fulfilling their basic psychological needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaria is a terrible illness that has killed about 600,000 people annually over the past 3 years. Early diagnosis of malaria is essential to enabling treatment and lowering fatality rates. A biosensor to detect malaria in the short wavelength infrared band is created using Tamm plasmon resonance among a photonic band gap in this study. The proposed biosensor is made up of a cavity layer situated between a one-dimensional photonic crystal and a metallic layer of Ag grown on a prism. A blood sample is placed within the cavity layer. The reflection spectra of the proposed biosensor for electromagnetic waves are computed using the transfer matrix method. A healthy blood sample has a different wavelength position for the Tamm plasmon resonant dip than does a blood sample that has been infected with malaria. The proposed biosensor works through quantifying the movement in the wavelength location of the Tamm plasmon resonant dip, which can be used to identify several phases of malaria infection. Under various incident angles, the proposed biosensor's performance is optimized by modifying the Ag layer and blood sample thicknesses. The best performance is achieved at an incident angle of 42.7° with a sensitivity of 26,000 nm/RIU, a figure of merit of 3.88 × 104 RIU−1, and a detection limit of 2.87 × 10−6 RIU. The high performance and simple structure make the proposed biosensor a competitive device for malaria diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure or highly concentrated ionic liquids (ILs, CIL > 40% v/v) have been widely applied for the preparation of value-added products from polysaccharides by breaking their hydrogen bonds. Reducing the dosage of ILs would benefit the establishment of a greener process. However, the effect of low-concentration ILs on the pretreatment of polysaccharides, especially water-soluble recalcitrant polysaccharides, has not been fully investigated. In this study, aqueous [Bmim]Cl (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride) with different dilution ratios was applied to treat xanthan gum (XG) and assist XG hydrolysis. Structural characterization and hydrolysate analyses showed that 1% (v/v) [Bmim]Cl could effectively break intramolecular hydrogen bonds of XG through the binding of [Bmim]+ to XG side chains, disrupting the XG conformation. Such changes increased the accessibility of XG for chemical reagents. Moreover, [Bmim]Cl could significantly increase the content of hydroxyl and superoxide radicals (from H2O2) in the reaction system. These interactions strengthened the acidic oxidative hydrolysis of XG. Notably, a low concentration of [Bmim]Cl was proved to inhibit the Maillard browning of the acidic oxidative hydrolysis system, which also contributed to XG degradation. Under hydrolysis conditions of 0.4 M HCl, 0.75% (w/v) H2O2 and 1% (v/v) [Bmim]Cl for 4 days at 80 °C, XG could be hydrolyzed into a mixture with a high dextrose equivalent value of 29.16% containing 25 types of oligosaccharides. Meanwhile, the XG hydrolysates showed good antioxidant ability and elicitor activity against soybean cotyledon. Our work should be valuable for establishing a green and economic platform for valorizing water-soluble recalcitrant polysaccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many important practical optimization problems whose feasible regions are not known to be nonempty or not, and optimizers of the objective function with the least constraint violation prefer to be found. A natural way for dealing with these problems is to extend the nonlinear optimization problem as the one optimizing the objective function over the set of points with the least constraint violation. This leads to the study of the shifted problem. This paper focuses on the constrained convex optimization problem. The sufficient condition for the closedness of the set of feasible shifts is presented and the continuity properties of the optimal value function and the solution mapping for the shifted problem are studied. Properties of the conjugate dual of the shifted problem are discussed through the relations between the dual function and the optimal value function. The solvability of the dual of the optimization problem with the least constraint violation is investigated. It is shown that, if the least violated shift is in the domain of the subdifferential of the optimal value function, then this dual problem has an unbounded solution set. Under this condition, the optimality conditions for the problem with the least constraint violation are established in term of the augmented Lagrangian. It is shown that the augmented Lagrangian method has the properties that the sequence of shifts converges to the least violated shift and the sequence of multipliers is unbounded. Moreover, it is proved that the augmented Lagrangian method is able to find an approximate solution to the problem with the least constraint violation and it has linear rate of convergence under an error bound condition. The augmented Lagrangian method is applied to an illustrative convex second-order cone constrained optimization problem with least constraint violation and numerical results verify our theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This research examines the associations of early childhood income instability with subsequent behavioral outcomes in adolescence, paying attention to the mediating role of food insecurity. Background: Existing research has documented the rise in income instability in recent decades. Yet, few studies have addressed how income instability during early childhood may shape subsequent behavioral health outcomes in adolescence, beyond the effect of income levels. Furthermore, the mechanism underlying the longitudinal link remains unexplored. Method: Structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted with the Fragile Families and Child Well‐being Study, a longitudinal data set following families with children in 20 large cities in the United States (N = 3,422). Results: Independent from average income levels, both incidence and frequency of negative income changes were significantly indirectly associated with higher levels of internalizing and externalizing behaviors in adolescence. Food insecurity operated as a mediator of the association. Conclusion: The results suggest cumulative associations between income instability and children's behavioral outcomes and the substantial role of food insecurity in linking the two. Implications: Policies and programs need to promote economic stability during early childhood and to ensure food security in nurturing children's short‐ and long‐term well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positive parenting behaviors such as parental monitoring and support can protect adolescents from alcohol use, either directly or through buffering risk factors such as perceived peer alcohol use. However, it is unclear whether such moderating effects vary as a function of race, ethnicity, and gender. This study addressed the knowledge gap by exploring racial, ethnic, and gender differences in the potential moderating effects of perceived positive parenting on the association between perceived peer alcohol use and adolescent alcohol use. Using data from the U.S. Heath Behavior in School-Aged Children study collected in 2009–2010, this study focused on 6744 adolescents from Grades 7 to 10 and five racial and ethnic groups (White, Black, Asian American, Latinx, and multiracial). Multiple regression analyses with three-way interaction effects were conducted. All three perceived positive parenting measures (i.e., maternal monitoring, paternal monitoring, and parental support) moderated the influence of perceived peer alcohol use on adolescent alcohol use among White girls and boys, but the moderating effects were inconsistent for boys and girls of color. Racial, ethnic and gender differences exist among the moderating effects of perceived positive parenting. Parenting programs designed for White adolescents need to be tailored for adolescent boys and girls of color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve CO2 capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) to solve carbon emission, sandstone from the Triassic Liujiagou Formation (LF) from the Ordos Basin in China was investigated using permeability tests and computed X‐ray tomography (CT) scanning. The presence of reactive minerals within the geological CO2 sequestration target storage formation can allow reaction with injected CO2, which changes the porosity and permeability of the LF beds, affecting storage effectiveness. To investigate the effect of chemical reactions on the pore structure and permeability of sandstone cores representing the LF CO2 storage, tests were conducted to analyze the changes in porosity and permeability of sandstone cores induced by CO2‐saturated brine at different reaction times (28‐day maximum reaction period). Porosity and permeability of the sandstone increased after reaction with CO2‐saturated brine due to mineral dissolution. The sandstone exhibited an increase in porosity and permeability after 15 days of reaction with CO2‐saturated brine. Moreover, there was an increase in the volume of large pores in the sandstone after the 28‐day period. The pore network of the sandstone was established through CT results, and the porosity calculated based on the obtained pore network was close to that measured in the test, demonstrating the feasibility to use CT to study the evolution of the microstructure of sandstone after long‐time exposure to CO2‐saturated brine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the effectiveness and safety of continuous lavage with 1% voriconazole (CL) for moderate and severe fungal keratitis. Methods: Thirty-one patients were randomized to receive topical eye drops either alone (T) or combined with continuous 1% voriconazole lavage (CL-T). The primary outcome was the cure rate at 3 months. The secondary outcomes were the 6-day efficacy, 3-day infiltration size and depth, hypopyon height, central corneal thickness (CCT), epithelial defect size, and subject feelings and clinical signs assessment scores. Results: At 3 months, the cure rate was comparable between the groups in patients with moderate fungal keratitis (66.7% vs. 62.5%, P = 0.60). However, among severe cases, 4 cases (44.4%) in the CL-T group healed successfully, while none in the T group; this difference was not significant (P = 0.08), although it was very close to 0.05. This may be related to the small sample size. After 6 days, the percentage of patients with "worsened" ulcers in the CL-T group was lower than that in the T group (0% vs. 31%, P = 0.043). The infiltration size, infiltration depth, and hypopyon height in the CL-T group were smaller than those in the T group after 3 days (all P < 0.05). There was no difference in CCT, epithelial defect size, subject feelings scores, or clinical signs scores between groups. Conclusion: These outcomes suggest that CL is an effective and safe adjuvant method for controlling the progression of moderate and severe fungal keratitis. Trial registration number: ChiCTR2100050565. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing attention has been directed toward children who are placed in out-of-home care by child welfare authorities for less than 30 days, deemed "short-stayers". This exploratory study uses multiple national child welfare and population data sources to identify macro level factors associated with short-stays. Two-level logistic regression modeling was conducted to explore how state-level factors were associated with risk of short-stays. Factors associated with lower odds of short-stays included living in a state with a centralized child welfare reporting structure and with greater food insecurity. Factors associated with greater odds included living in a state with a higher percentage of the state's population enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and states with more police per capita. Multiple state level factors were associated short-stay risk, which suggests broader systemic factors contribute to these brief removals. Findings suggest greater surveillance by police and social services increases risk of short-stays, which likely have implications for child welfare policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomolecular materials offer tremendous potential for the development of memristive devices due to their low cost of production, environmental friendliness, and, most notably, biocompatibility. Herein, biocompatible memristive devices based on amyloid–gold nanoparticle hybrids have been investigated. These memristors demonstrate excellent electrical performance, featuring an ultrahigh Roff/Ron ratio (>107), a low switching voltage (<0.8 V), and reliable reproducibility. Additionally, the reversible transition from threshold switching to resistive switching mode was achieved in this work. The arrangement of peptides in amyloid fibrils endows the surface polarity and phenylalanine packing, which provides channels for the migration of Ag ions in the memristors. By modulating voltage pulse signals, the study successfully imitates the synaptic behavior of excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC), paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), and the transition from short-term plasticity (STP) to long-term plasticity (LTP). More interestingly, Boolean logic standard cells were designed and simulated using the memristive devices. The fundamental and experimental results of this study thus offer insights into the utilization of biomolecular materials for advanced memristive devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Previous studies have reported different opinions regarding the association between abdominal obesity and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). In this study, we aimed to investigate this problem through a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide a basis for clinical interventions. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases up to May 1, 2022, for all eligible observational studies. Standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were evaluated using a random-effects model in the Stata software. We then conducted, publication bias assessment, heterogeneity, subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Results: A total of 5596 DR patients and 17907 non-DR patients were included from 24 studies. The results of the meta-analysis of abdominal obesity parameters showed statistically significant differences between DR and non-DR patients in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Waist circumference (WC) was higher in patients with DR than in the non-DR patients. In the waist-hip ratio (WHR) subgroup, the level of WHR was higher in patients with DR than that in non-DR patients. The association between abdominal obesity and mild to moderate nonproliferative DR or vision-threatening DR groups did not show any statistical difference. Subgroup analysis according to ethnicity showed that Caucasians had higher levels of combined abdominal obesity parameters than Asians. Conclusion: We found that abdominal obesity measured by WC and WHR is associated with DR in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This association is stronger in Caucasians than in Asians, where isolated abdominal obesity might be more related to DR. However, no correlation was found between abdominal obesity and varying degrees of diabetic retinopathy. Further prospective cohort studies with larger sample sizes are yet to be conducted to clarify our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In modern power systems, the reliability of energy supplies is a real challenge for the operators. The emergence of renewable energy resources, along with multi-career users, requires multi-career systems. In this regard, the energy hub (EH) as an integrated system can be used to increase the reliability of the system. The power-to-gas (P2G) and P2G storage are two practical technologies to achieve high efficiency in energy systems. In this paper, the contribution is optimal scheduling of stochastic problem in EH system amalgamated with CHP unit, P2G storage, thermal storage, boiler, wind power, and electrical storage to supply the heat, gas, and power loads by regarding demand response program (DRP). For the electrical loads, the load shifting strategy is considered to minimize the operational cost of the EH system. In order to manage related uncertainties about electricity price, wind power, and electrical loads, the downside risk constraint (DRC) method is applied to investigate the EH system function. According to the obtained results, by increasing approximately 2.8% of the operational cost, the risk level can be reduced remarkably. And also, almost 10% of the energy shifted from peak hours to the off-peak time after DRP is applied. • Optimization of power, heat and gas energy consumption in an energy hub. • Energy hub system is integrated with power-to-gas storage. • All uncertainty parameter are modeled via scenario based stochastic programming. • Downside risk constrained approach is proposed for risk modeling in energy hub. • Risk-averse and risk-neutral strategies are compared with each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the problem of minimizing a convex expectation function with a set of inequality convex expectation constraints. We propose a stochastic augmented Lagrangian-type algorithm—namely, the stochastic linearized proximal method of multipliers—to solve this convex stochastic optimization problem. This algorithm can be roughly viewed as a hybrid of stochastic approximation and the traditional proximal method of multipliers. Under mild conditions, we show that this algorithm exhibits O (K − 1 / 2) expected convergence rates for both objective reduction and constraint violation if parameters in the algorithm are properly chosen, where K denotes the number of iterations. Moreover, we show that, with high probability, the algorithm has a O (log (K) K − 1 / 2) constraint violation bound and O (log 3 / 2 (K) K − 1 / 2) objective bound. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is efficient. History: Accepted byAntonio Frangioni, Area Editor for Design & Analysis ofAlgorithms—Continuous. Funding: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grants 11971089, 11731013, 12071055, and 11871135]. Supplemental Material: The software that supports the findings of this study is available within the paper and its Supplementary Information [https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/suppl/10.1287/ijoc.2022.1228] or is available from the IJOC GitHub software repository (https://github.com/INFORMSJoC) at http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6818229. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of generalized equation 0 ∈ T(z), for maximal monotone operator T : H ⇉ H , covers many important optimization problems. The solution trajectory uλ(t) of the classical Yosida-regularization based differential equation system together with numerical approximation trajectories u λ α (t) , for finding solutions to the generalized equation, is investigated in this paper. The uniform convergence of the approximate trajectories u λ α (t) → u λ (t) on interval [ 0 , + ∞) is proved, as α tends to 0. Importantly, it is proved that the solution trajectory uλ(t) has the exponential convergence rate under the upper Lipschitz continuity of T− 1 at the origin. Moreover, the proposed differential equation approach is applied to the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker system for a smooth convex optimization problem. A numerical algorithm for getting an approximate solution trajectories of Yosida-regularization based differential equation of nonlinear programming is presented and an illustrative example is implemented by the numerical algorithm to verify the theory developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban green spaces (UGSs) are indispensable for providing various ecosystem services (ESs) to society and city-dwellers. The equitable allocation of ESs provided by UGSs is a prerequisite for maintaining urban sustainability and human well-being. However, empirical studies have assessed the dynamics of UGS equity from ES facets, while neglecting to strengthen integrated evaluation indicators and coupled spatially explicit models. A framework was developed in this study to assess the spatio-temporal patterns of ESs provided by UGSs and their equity based on models of the Intelligent Urban Ecosystem Management System, location entropy, and the Gini coefficient. The results indicated that with urban spatial expansion, in each concentric circle, the values of three ES averages were generally the lowest in the megacity (Xi'an), and the values of carbon sequestration and the recreation averages in the medium-sized cities (Baoji and Xianyang) were also lower than in the small-sized city (Tongchuan). The inequity of ESs provided by UGSs was exacerbated from 2000 to 2020 in the Xi'an Metropolitan Area. The ES equity was the worst in Xi'an and the best in Tongchuan. Areas with extremely low CR location entropy occupied 67.01% in 2020. As cities spatially expanded, areas with extremely low ES location entropy generally increased in 2020. Additionally, the zero-value area of the ES Gini coefficient in Xi'an was the largest from 2000 to 2020. The ES Gini values mostly increased in the same concentric circle of each city in 2020, which demonstrates that equity declined. Spatial equity could be improved by diversifying UGS structures, promoting spatial matching between the ES supply and beneficiaries' demands, and integrating UGSs into any available space in future UGS planning. The findings of the study could offer insights for optimizing the equitable provision of UGS resources and the targeted planning of urban greening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury (CIRI) is closely related to mitochondrial dysfunction in astrocytes. • A kind of brain-targeted dexmedetomidine (Man@Dex) nanomicelles was design based on GLUT1. • Man@Dex had the advantages of small particle size, stability and non-toxicity, brain-targeted drug delivery. • Man@Dex could improve the activity of injured astrocytes and protect mitochondrial function of damaged astrocytes. • Man@Dex could alleviate CIRI and improve MMP, which was beneficial to the recovery of brain injury in rats. Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury (CIRI) is closely related to mitochondrial dysfunction in astrocytes. Therefore, based on glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), which is highly expressed in the brain tissue of rats with CIRI, we design a kind of brain-targeted dexmedetomidine (Man@Dex) nanomicelles. The results showed that Man@Dex not only had the advantages of small particle size, stability and non-toxicity, but also realized brain-targeted drug delivery. Primary astrocytes were cultured in vitro to construct CIRI cell model. It was found that Man@Dex could improve the activity of injured astrocytes. Man@Dex could exert antioxidant activity by inhibiting the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production of astrocytes, thus inhibiting the cytotoxicity induced by hypoxia and reoxygenation. Man@Dex could improve the ATP level and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) to protect mitochondrial function of damaged astrocytes. The CIRI rat model was constructed and confirmed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE), Triphenyl-2H-tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining and nerve defect score. It indicated that Man@Dex could alleviate CIRI and improve MMP, which was beneficial to the recovery of brain injury in rats. This research provides a new theoretical basis and target for the development of brain-targeted nano-drugs of CIRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of SiC w /SiC materials was realized by SLS technology. The effect of SiC powder size on the number and size of SiC whisker formation was investigated. The tortuosity and diameter of open pores are introduced to modify the classical molecular collision model, and the relationship model between the growth rate of SiC whisker and porosity was established. The influence mechanism of powder size on the number of whisker growth was revealed. According to the model, the number of in-situ whisker growth in powder can be calculated, and the calculated results by using this model agreed with the test results. So it is suitable for in-situ whisker microstructure control under SLS technology, and also suitable for other 3D printed whisker in-situ reinforced ceramic material systems. This is of great significance to expand the application of 3D printing ceramic matrix composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nannochloropsis oceanica are marine microalgae that are rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA); in the future, they may become one of the most effective sources of EPA. The cell walls of N. oceanica contain a three‐layered dense structure called algaenan, which hinders the extraction of intracellular lipids. Here, the main variables for the enzyme pretreatment of N. oceanica are optimized using response surface methodology. Under the optimal variables for enzyme pretreatment, the lipid yield and EPA content are increased to 26.9% and 20.7 g/100 g, respectively. Furthermore, lipidomics analysis is carried out utilizing ultra‐high performance liquid‐quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry to identify the obtained lipids. After enzyme treatment, the betaine lipids (BL) content significantly increases, probably due to laccase and cellulase promoting the release of BL from membrane structure. In comparison, the hydrolysis of neutral lipids, glycolipids, and phospholipids during the enzyme treatment reduces their respective contents. The results of this study suggest that using compound enzymes to pretreat N. oceanica can effectively increase lipids extraction yields by ethanol and improve the EPA contents in lipids. Practical applications: This study indicates that enzyme pretreatment can promote the extraction of lipids, especially lipids with EPA, from N. oceanica or other marine microalgae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of a high-thermal-conductivity porous medium stands as an effective strategy for enhancing the heat transfer rate within battery thermal management using phase change material (PCM). In this study, we have delved into the investigation of heat transfer augmentation in battery thermal management through the implementation of toroidal porous medium. The exploration encompasses the effects of Rayleigh numbers, thicknesses of the toroidal porous medium, different kinds of porous medium and PCM. By comparing the liquid fraction, dynamic temperature and the latent heat ratio, we found the effect of Rayleigh number and thickness of porous medium on the property of the battery thermal management. The results indicate that by applying thicker toroidal porous medium could weaken the heat accumulation derived by high Rayleigh numbers. Case of d = 0.273R exhibits superior performance for a significant portion of the entire process compared to other cases with thickness of 0.235R, 0.326R, 0.408R and uniform distributed, while the dominant position is difficult to hold due to the heat accumulation. The conclusion is universal for different porous medium and PCM materials. The optimal distribution of porous medium should seek a balance between enhancing heat conduction and weakening thermal convection. A more scattered distributed porous medium could weaken the effect of heat convection and rises the latent heat ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke is the second leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability worldwide. However, how the prevalence of stroke varies across the world is uncertain.The aim of this study was to analyze temporal trends of prevalence for stroke, including ischemic stroke (IS), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) at the global, regional, and national levels.The age-standardized prevalence rates (ASPR) of stroke, IS, ICH, and SAH, along with their corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UI), were derived from data in the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019. This provides estimates for the burden of 369 diseases and injuries globally in 2019, as well as their temporal trends over the past 30 years. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to analyze the 1990–2019 temporal trends by calculating the annual percentage change (APC) and average annual percentage change (AAPC), as well as their 95% confidence interval (CI).In 2019, the global ASPR of stroke was 1240.263 per 100,000 population (95% UI: 1139.711 to 1352.987), with ASPRs generally lower in Europe compared to other regions. Over the period from 1990 to 2019, a significant global decrease in ASPR was observed for stroke (AAPC −0.200, 95% CI: −0.215 to −0.183), IS (AAPC −0.059%, 95% CI: −0.077 to −0.043), SAH (AAPC −0.476, 95% CI: −0.483 to −0.469), and ICH (AAPC −0.626, 95% CI: −0.642 to −0.611). The trends of ASPR of stroke, IS, SAH, and ICH varied significantly across 204 countries and territories.Our findings highlight significant global disparities in stroke prevalence, emphasizing the need for ongoing monitoring and intensified efforts in developing regions to reduce the global burden of stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The PFAS removal performance with different iron minerals were discussed in CWs. • Iron minerals reduced PFAS content in water and substrate and promoted plant uptake. • Iron minerals increased the EPS capacitance and promoted electron transfer in CWs. • Gene relate to EPS synthesis and defluorination were enriched in iron-based CWs. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulphonic acid (PFOS) pollution existed widely in constructed wetlands (CWs). Iron minerals have been proved to enhance PFOS and PFOA removal in CWs. However, the microbial extracellular electron transfer mechanisms mediated by iron minerals remain unclear. To strengthen the removal of PFOA and PFOS, and explore the mechanisms, in this study, four kinds of iron-based CWs were constructed with magnetite, siderite, sponge iron, and hematite. Results reflected that the addition of iron minerals increased the PFOS and PFOA removal by 7.27 %-16.42 % than that in control group. XRD and XPS results show that iron minerals can promote the formation of Fe(Ⅲ) (hydrogen)oxides that conducive to electron transfer. The electrochemical characterization of extracellular polymer (EPS) and microbial electron transport activity showed that iron minerals improve the capacitance and electron transfer properties of EPS. Microbial results showed that magnetite and siderite improved the diversity of microorganisms that associated with PFOA and PFOS degradation (e.g. Geobacter, Shewanella, and Pseudomonas). Furthermore, both magnetite and siderite can promote extracellular protein secretion (p < 0.05), and increase the abundance of genes that related to extracellular-related cytochrome synthesis pathway (K02275, K01784), EPS synthesis (pgi, pgm, ugp), and defluorine (K01560, K01561, K01563). This study provides insight into the mechanisms of the PFOA and PFOS removal process and contributes a new perspective to further enhance the treatment of new pollutants in CWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. As a common disease around the world, esophageal cancer (EC) primarily includes two subclasses: esophageal adenocarcinoma and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Mortality has been rising over the years; hence, exploring the mechanism of EC development has become critical. Among the alpha protein kinases, alpha protein kinase 2 (ALPK2) presumably has a connection with EC, but it has never been revealed before. Methods. In this study, IHC analysis was used for ALPK2 expression quantification in ES tissues. TE-1 and Eca-109, which are both human EC cell lines, were used for in vitro analysis of cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and colony formation. Results. ALPK2 was found to have an abundant expression within EC tissues (P < 0.001), as well as in the two selected human EC cell lines (P < 0.05). The data showed that ALPK2 depletion suppressed EC cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation, meanwhile stimulating apoptosis (P < 0.001). The in vivo experiments also displayed inhibitory effects caused by ALPK2 depletion on EC tumorigenesis (P < 0.001). It was further validated that ALPK2 depletion made the phosphorylation of Akt and mTOR, as well as CDK6 and PIK3CA levels downregulated (P < 0.001). Mechanistically, we identified integrin alpha 11 (ITGA11) as a downstream gene of ALPK2 regulating EC. More importantly, we found that ITGA11 elevation promoted cell proliferation and migration and rescued the suppression effects caused by ALPK2 depletion (P < 0.001). Conclusions. ALPK2 promotes esophageal cancer via integrin its downstream gene alpha 11; ALPK2 can potentially act as a target for the treatment of EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is challenging and expensive to manufacture composite cylindrical shells with characteristics such as large diameters and lengths and 0°‐fibers for applications such as bridge piers and wind power columns. In this study, a new type of cross section configuration of inner annular block and outer annular continuous fiber is proposed, and a low‐cost method is established First, the inner assembly block is pulled and extruded, and then, the outer continuous prestressed fiber is wound as the mold to apply annular compressive stress to the inner tube. Axial compression tests were carried out with Φ104 × 8 mm glass fiber‐reinforced polymer(GFRP) tubes made of pultruded standard blocks without integral forming, without external winding carbon fiber, and with an external winding layer. The results show that the mechanical properties of the pipe produced via piece‐assembling followed by winding are better than those produced via piece‐assembling without an external winding layer, which has mechanical properties similar to those of a one‐time forming member. Based on the obvious deterioration of mechanical properties, composite cylindrical shells with large diameters and lengths and 0°‐fibers can be produced at low costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In composite fibers, the compression stress perpendicular to the fiber has a significant and complex effect on the fatigue behavior of the composite. In this study, pultrusion glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) plates pre‐tightened teeth connection (PTTC) were subjected to fatigue tests (R = 0.2, 0.5) to examine the effect of transverse compression stress on the in‐plane shear fatigue behavior. Fatigue test results showed that the GFRP pultrusion tube PTTC of the GFRP matrix composite pultrusion tube had a low‐fatigue life and appeared to heat up; it also exhibited longitudinal cracking in the tensile fatigue test with a frequency of only 2 Hz. To explore the cause and mechanism of increase in temperature, herein, the change process and the effect of contact friction and slippage in the tensile fatigue process of the of the GFRP pultrusion tube PTTC was examined using simplified tests and numerical analyses. The findings of this study can provide insights for improving the static bearing capacity and fatigue performance of PTTCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Birth Cohort in the United States (N ≈ 10,700), this study examines the relationship between precarious parental work characteristics and families' poverty status during the early childhood years. We focus on four aspects of parental work—occupational prestige, hourly wages, weekly work hours, and nonstandard work schedules—and three dimensions of familial poverty: poverty depth, volatility in family income, and poverty duration. The longitudinal latent class analysis identified five distinct maternal work profiles and three distinct paternal work profiles. Regression results then suggest that children in families whose mothers and fathers held jobs with precarious work characteristics had significantly higher probabilities of experiencing (1) near-poor conditions or falling into poverty, if not deep poverty; (2) volatility in family income; and (3) longer duration of poverty. Results in this study shed new light on the sensitivity of families' economic status to the precarious work conditions that have been on the rise in a society increasingly characterized by income inequality. Highlights: Almost half of the American families with young children were at risk of falling into poverty during the most crucial period of their child's life, before entering kindergarten. Longitudinal latent class analysis using four indicators of parental work was used to identify latent groups of precarious parental work characteristics. Precarious parental work increased the probability of families experiencing poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the application of fuzzy partial fractional-order equation based on infinite impulse response (IIR) digital filter in noise big data monitoring, in this study, first, the noise level is calculated through IIR filter to obtain the sound signal sequence after C weight and A weight; the weight equivalent continuous sound level of C, A, and Z is calculated. Then, the vibration condition of fuzzy partial fractional-order equation is studied; the vibration acceleration signal is converted into the vibration velocity and displacement signal; the corresponding effective values are calculated according to the root mean square (RMS), and the noise monitoring platform is designed from hardware and software aspects. Finally, the calibrated sound level value is compared with the standard signal value generated by the digital signal generator; the sequence of sound signal after weight of the original signal, the actual acceleration signal, velocity signal, and displacement signal are calculated; the acceleration signal, velocity signal, and theoretical signal values are compared at different frequencies. The results show that the error between the calculated and calibrated sound level and the standard signal value is very small, and the results of weight counting of C and A are good and meet the requirement of calculation; the error between the measured value of actual acceleration, velocity, and displacement signal and the theoretical value is small, which can realize the accurate acquisition of vibration signal; the error between the actual measured value and the theoretical value of acceleration and velocity at different frequencies is small, about 1% and 10%, respectively. Therefore, the fuzzy partial fractional-order equation based on IIR digital filter can effectively monitor the big noise data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tripartite Motif-Containing 24 (TRIM24) is a member of the tripartite motif family. TRIM24 is claimed aberrantly activated in a number of cancers, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer. However, the expression of TRIM24 in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and its relationship with prognosis remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the expression pattern and underlying clinical significance of TRIM24 in EOC. Results: Data from Oncomine and immunohistochemistry of tissue samples demonstrated that TRIM24 expression was obviously elevated in ovarian carcinoma compared with normal ovary tissues. Elevated TRIM24 expression was closely correlated with serum CA-125 (P = 0.0294), metastasis (P = 0.0022), FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stage (P = 0.0068) and Ki-67 level (P = 0.0395). Kaplan–Meier survival analysis found that TRIM24 expression increased inversely with the clinical prognosis of patients with EOC. Moreover, colony formation and CCK-8 assays showed that TRIM24 promoted EOC cell growth, and tumorigenic experiments in nude mice showed that TRIM24 knockdown inhibited tumor growth in vivo. The Spearman's correlations revealed that the expression of TRIM24 was significantly correlated with levels of Ki-67 (P = 0.01), at a correlation coefficient of 0.517. Wound-healing and transwell migration assays demonstrated TRIM24 facilitated cell migration. Mechanism studies showed that TRIM24 could promote the phosphorylation level of Akt and the process of EMT. Conclusion: Our results confirmed that TRIM24 could predict poor prognosis of EOC patients and promote tumor progression by regulating Akt pathway and EMT. TRIM24 may be used as a new prognostic marker for EOC and may provide a new strategy for targeted therapy of epithelial ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We realize nearly perfect dual-band absorption in one dimensional Octonacci sequences containing Dirac semimetal. • Dual-band absorptions are dynamically tunable by changing the Fermi energy of DSs and the incident angle of the wave. • The absorption can be flexibly tuned from bidirectional to unidirectional by controlling the conductivity of the VO 2 layer. The dual-band absorption properties of one-dimensional ternary Octonacci sequences, comprising dielectric, Dirac semimetal (DS), and Vanadium dioxide (VO 2), are investigated theoretically and numerically using transfer matrix method, full-wave simulations, and impedance match theory. The photonic quasi-periodic multilayers exhibit bidirectional dual-band high absorption properties, attributed to strong electric field localization. Interestingly, this dual-band absorption can be spectrally tuned to the desired frequencies by adjusting the Fermi energy of the DS, changing the structure's parameters, the choice of dielectric, and the angle of incidence. Furthermore, the addition of a VO 2 layer at the bottom of the Octonacci sequence enables the realization of dynamically tunable bidirectional and unidirectional dual-band absorption by modulating the conductivity of VO 2. Remarkably, the absorption response remains insensitive to the polarization of the incident wave. These unique properties, together with the ease of manufacturing, make our proposed structures a promising candidate for wide applications in tunable optical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The chemical processes of H 2 S-induced cement corrosion are studied. • The impact of high-temperature condition on H 2 S corrosion is analyzed. • The mechanical properties of H 2 S-corroded cement are investigated. H 2 S, a highly toxic and corrosive substance present in geothermal reservoirs, can significantly reduce the durability of geothermal well cement. High temperature is a prominent environmental characteristic in the extraction of geothermal resources; however, current research primarily focuses on the corrosive effects of H 2 S on cement under moderate to low temperatures. This study employed Class G oilwell cement to investigate the corrosion of H 2 S on cement under high temperature. The experiments were conducted in a high-temperature reaction vessel. The effects of H 2 S on cement structure, chemical composition, and mechanical strength were analyzed under high-temperature conditions via SEM-EDS, XRD, FTIR, nanoindentation, and unconfined compressive strength tests. The results indicate that the corrosive effects of H 2 S lead to formation of different reaction layers within the cement structure, forming of microcracks, and changes in material composition. Within the cement, secondary minerals with weaker bonding properties, such as pyrite, pyrrhotite, and gypsum, are generated. Simultaneously, the compressive strength of the samples decreases. The surface nano-hardness and elastic modulus of the cement decrease, while there is a significant increase of nano-hardness and elastic modulus in the interior of cement, due to changes in structure and chemical composition. In summary, high temperature in geothermal applications reduces the level of H 2 S-induced cement corrosion due to inhibition of ettringite formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyoxometalates (POMs), as a kind of electron acceptors, comes into sight in gas sensing field. Here, we in situ construct a group of polyoxomethoate/semiconductor one-dimensional tandem heterojunction materials using convenient one-step coaxial electrospinning method. A polyoxometalates electron acceptor layer was intercalated into In 2 O 3 @SnO 2 nanofibers (NFs), forming In 2 O 3 @PW 12 @SnO 2 coaxial core-middle-shell NFs. Gas sensing performances of the one-dimensional In 2 O 3 @PW 12 @SnO 2 tandem heterojunctions were investigated for the first time. The fabricated NFs exhibited excellent detection performances for ethanol gas. The optimal sensitivity response to 100 ppm ethanol can reach 22.6, which is about 4 times that of POMs-free samples. Other gas sensing parameters were also comprehensively studied. The significant enhancement can be attributed to the addition of appropriate amount of PW 12 electron acceptor which accelerate electrons transfer and reduce the recombination of electron-hole pairs. This work provides a novel strategy for developing high performance gas sensors by constructing tandem heterojunctions as well as introducing POMs electron acceptor, and offers new insight into the development of POMs-based gas sensors. [Display omitted] • A new method to construct tandem heterojunctions by one-step electrospinning. • The first study on the gas sensing performance for In 2 O 3 /POMs/SnO 2 composite. • The optimized response was improved to 4 times compared to POMs-free sample. • This work provides important significance for developing POMs-based gas sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MoS 2 is a promising gas sensing material due to its low resistance and low operating temperature. But the sensitivity of MoS 2 is limited by fast electron-hole complexation. In this work, phosphomolybdic acid (PMo 12) was used as precursor. After sulfurizing by one-step hydrothermal method, the generated MoS 2 and unspent PMo 12 can in-situ form MoS 2 /PMo 12 composite nanospheres. The gas sensing performances of the composite were comprehensively investigated. By adjusting hydrothermal reaction temperature, optimized sensitivity (MoS 2 /PMo 12 -240) to NO 2 gas can be gained. At a low operating temperature of 80 °C, the optimized response value to 100 ppm NO 2 gas is 2.466, which is higher than most reported MoS 2 -based NO 2 sensors. Moreover, MoS 2 /PMo 12 -240 composite also exhibits good selectivity, repeatability, long-term stability and humidity resistance. The mechanism of sensing performance enhancement was also analyzed and discussed. As a semiconductor-like material, PMo 12 can form heterojunction together with MoS 2. The valence band of PMo 12 can capture the holes in MoS 2 and effectively suppresses electron-hole complexation. Thus the sensing performance can be improved. This work provides a new strategy for designing and constructing high performance sulfide composite gas sensors by introducing POMs. • MoS 2 /PMo 12 composite nanospheres were in-situ synthesized from POMs precursor. • First investigation on gas sensing performance of POMs-derived sulfide. • The MoS 2 /PMo 12 composite can monitor NO 2 gas in air at low operating temperature. • The MoS 2 /PMo 12 sensor exhibit a gas sensing response of 2.466 to 100 ppm NO 2 gas. • The sensing response is higher than most reported MoS 2 -based NO 2 sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the effect of CO 2 concentration and water on bonding strength evolution of the steel-concrete interface, this paper studied the carbonation process at the steel-concrete interface of composite samples in dry gas, pure water and 70% relative humidity (RH) environments with 100 kPa, 500 kPa and 1000 kPa CO 2 partial pressures. The results showed that the formation of aragonite and Fe(OH) 3 at the interface had a negative effect on the bonding strength, while the formation of calcite at the interface had a positive effect on the bonding strength. Also, the reaction environment had a noticeable effect on Fe-bearing corrosion products formed at the interface. In summary, if the concentration and the pressure of CO 2 reach a certain level (i.e., 100% concentration and 1000 kPa partial pressure or higher) and abundant water is present, the CO 2 -induced carbonation of concrete and corrosion of steel can eventually lead to damage at the steel-concrete interface. • This paper studied the mechanical degradation of the steel-concrete interface caused by high concentration CO 2. • A pure water environment induced formation of aragonite and Fe(OH) 3 , which caused a decrease in the bonding strength at the interface. • A dry gas environment induced formation of calcite, which caused an increase in the bonding strength at the interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An integrated bioactive-chemical Q-markers discovery strategy of ASL was established. • It is the first time to evaluate the quality of ASL from different harvesting periods based on Q-markers. • Neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and hyperoside were screened and quantified as the bioactive-chemical Q-markers. • The pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity of the Q-markers was further evaluated and validated in vitro. An integrated bioactive-chemical quality markers (Q-markers) discovery strategy, which was based on the LC-MS plant metabolomics, HPLC fingerprint as well as the chemical spectrum-efficacy relationships, was designed to develop a methodology for accurate and comprehensive evaluation of the quality of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus leaves (ASL). Firstly, a high resolution and sensitivity UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS method was used for plant metabolomics analysis to obtain component characterization and screen potential chemical markers that differentiate between different harvesting periods. A total of 53 chemical components were identified, and 8 potential chemical markers were discovered, such as sucrose, maltol and phenylalanine. Secondly, a selective HPLC fingerprint analysis of ASL and its pancreatic lipase activity assay method was successfully investigated in vitro. In the study of chemical spectrum-efficacy relationships, neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and hyperoside were screened and showed the inhibited pancreatic lipase activity with IC 50 values, 0.16 ± 0.01, 0.13 ± 0.01, 0.31 ± 0.01, and 0.44 ± 0.02 mg/mL, respectively, which indicated the above four constituents were selected as the bioactive-chemical Q-markers of ASL. Finally, an accurate and reliable quantitative HPLC assay was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of four bioactive-chemical Q-markers in ASL, and their content levels in ASL varied widely in different harvesting periods. The systematic and efficient screening strategy for bioactive-chemical Q-markers in this study, based on " LC-MS plant metabolomics, HPLC fingerprint, and spectrum-efficacy relationships," could have effectively improved the quality assessment level of ASL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A smith predictor-based delay compensation scheme is proposed for the suppression of the undesired speed overshoot/variation phenomena caused by the speed filter. • The effectiveness and stability of the proposed solution are verified analytically and experimentally. • The robustness of the proposed solution against system parameter mismatch is verified analytically and experimentally. • The proposed structure is simple to implement with a low calculation burden and no parameters need to be tuned. The load disturbance rejection ability of the electrical machine systems is an important consideration factor in many applications, including both power generation (e.g., wind power generator) and consumption (e.g., servo systems such as high-precision machining and continuous motion in manufacturing automation). Existing studies on load disturbance rejection mainly focus on developing disturbance observers with improved steady state and dynamic performance. However, the performance of the disturbance rejection control is not only determined by the performance of the disturbance observers but also influenced by the speed response control during the transient. The latter problem might require more attention, especially due to the fact that speed filter is widely used in many actual systems to suppress the speed ripples or noise. The speed control performance would suffer from the delay caused by the filter and result in an undesired oscillatory speed response. In this paper, load disturbance rejection control based on a sliding mode disturbance observer is considered as an investigation platform, where an adaptive filter is proposed to further improve the performance of the observer. More importantly, a Smith predictor-based speed filter delay compensator is proposed to mitigate the undesired variation in the speed response caused by speed filter, achieving enhanced transient speed response under load disturbance. This structure is simple to implement, and no control parameters need to be tuned. The effectiveness of the proposed solution has been verified on a permanent magnet synchronous machine drive system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation and identification of high-quality patents are urgently needed for the technological research and development and the transformation of achievements. Traditional researchers and analysts mainly focus on developing various patent quality indicators.However, there is a lack of relative research on how to apply these indicators to comprehensively evaluate patent quality. Therefore, this paper uses the rough set theory(RST) and multidimensional cloud model(MCM) to construct a comprehensive evaluation and grading system for patent quality (RST-MCM), which is used to comprehensively evaluate the quality of patents. First, by systematically summarizing the relevant literature on patent quality evaluation, we identify the influencing factors of patent quality in multiple dimensions and at multiple stages. Second, the patent quality evaluation index system is constructed by using RST to reduce redundant patent quality influencing factors and determine the evaluation index weights. Finally, the evaluation and grading of patent quality is completed with MCM. To validate the effectiveness of the research, RST-MCM is applied to the quality evaluation of patents in the construction engineering industry. The research results show that the accuracy rate of RST-MCM is 90.3%. The research will provide effective decision-making support for the formulation of technical strategies such as improving independent innovation capability and patent layout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a decentralized control strategy for the distributed storage (DS) systems of the islanded microgrid composed of distributed generations (DGs) and DSs. Each of the DSs consists of a bidirectional DC-DC converter cascaded with a three-phase inverter. Control strategies for DSs and DGs are based on droop control. The line frequency of the point of common coupling (PCC) is an agent to regulate the active power of the DS. Due to the power mismatch among the supplies and load demands of DGs, the frequency controller of the DS generates its active power reference. In addition, the frequency deviation caused by droop control can be reduced. Reactive load power is almost equally shared by all of the constituent units. Therefore, the DS works by charging or discharging the energy storage devices. Simulation and experimental results are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The double random phase encoding techniques have received considerable attention from researchers in recent years because of their advantages of parallel and high-speed processing capability. Meanwhile, the security of the cryptosystem is also one of the major concerns. We experimentally showed the ciphertext redundancy vulnerability of the coherent double random phase encryption (DRPE) system. Based on the statistical ergodicity of speckles and the consistency of the energy spectral density (ESD), we have proved that the method can retrieve the most plaintext information from partial ciphertext alone. We performed the simulation and experimental results to verify whether the algorithm is effective. The ciphertext redundancy of the DRPE system is analyzed from the results of the ciphertext occlusion test. There is a risk of plaintext leakage in this scheme, as long as the average ESD can be estimated from the sub-images. The results will further our understanding of the limitation of current optical security techniques. The DRPE system has potential redundancy risk. This vulnerability allows a cryptanalyst to estimate the plaintext information with only a half or less ciphertext. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oxidation-specific epitopes (OSEs) are rich in atherosclerotic plaques. Innate and adaptive immune responses to OSEs play an important role in atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to develop novel human single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibody specific to OSEs to image and inhibit atherosclerosis. Results: Here, we screened a novel scFv antibody, named as ASA6, from phage-displayed human scFv library. ASA6 can bind to oxidized LDL (Ox-LDL) and atherosclerotic plaques. Meanwhile, ASA6 can also inhibit the uptake of Ox-LDL into macrophage to reduce macrophage apoptosis. The atherosclerotic lesion area of ApoE−/− mice administrated with ASA6 antibody was significantly reduced. Transcriptome analysis reveals the anti-atherosclerosis effect of ASA6 is related to the regulation of fatty acid metabolism and inhibition of M1 macrophage polarization. Moreover, we conjugated ASA6 antibody to NaNdF4@NaGdF4 nanoparticles for noninvasive imaging of atherosclerotic plaques by magnetic resonance (MR) and near-infrared window II (NIR-II) imaging. Conclusions: Together, these data demonstrate the potential of ASA6 antibody in targeted therapy and noninvasive imaging for atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a common malignancy around the globe. Increasing long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been confirmed to be associated with the progression of cancers, including NSCLC. Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 1783 (LINC01783) is a novel lncRNA and its regulatory function as competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) has not been studied in NSCLC. Methods: RT-qPCR measured the expression level of LINC01783 in NSCLC cells. CCK-8, EdU, transwell and wound healing assays were conducted to detect cell proliferation, migration and invasion in NSCLC. The relationship between miR-432-5p and LINC01783 along with delta like 1 (DLL-1) was illustrated by RNA pull down, RIP and luciferase reporter assays. Results: LINC01783 was found remarkably increased in NSCLC cell lines, and down-regulation of LINC01783 suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Then, we discovered Notch pathway was related to the progression of NSCLC, and DLL-1 expression was reduced by LINC01783 knockdown. Furthermore, DLL-1 overexpression could counteract the suppressive effects of LINC01783 down-regulation on the growth of NSCLC cells. MiR-432-5p was observed to be the mutual miRNA that could bind with both LINC01783 and DLL-1. Overexpression of miR-432-5p inhibited DLL-1 expression. In the rescue assays, miR-432-5p depletion offset the impacts of LINC01783 knockdown, and then DLL-1 silence recovered the influence of miR-432-5p down-regulation on NSCLC cell growth. Conclusion: LINC01783 aggravates NSCLC cell growth by regulating Notch pathway and sponging miR-432-5p, being a potential target in the treatment for NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wave localization by flatband mechanisms underlies prominent moiré physics and relevant applications. While typically studied in periodic superlattices, the wave-confining capability of finite-size superlattices is important both fundamentally and practically. Here, we investigate wave localization in few-cell moiré superlattices through fine tuning of band offset, which is accomplished by jointly adjusting structural parameters of constitutive lattice. Remarkably, the quality factor Q, which reflects the capability of few-cell superlattices to localize wave, can reach quite high levels with appropriate band offset. Thus, superior wave localization is feasible in few-cell superlattices, indicated by the very high Q up to 10 4 − 10 5 for single-cell superlattices and extremely high Q up to > 10 7 for double-cell superlattices. Moreover, the Q patterns are distinct for different flatband resonances and different number of cells, while narrow high-Q (∼ 10 8 ) branches appear for the triple-cell superlattices. The narrow high-Q branches are hard to be reached in practice, since it requires stringent control on structural parameters. In this respect, the double-cell superlattices are promising for exploiting unconventional effects induced by wave localization, since it can achieve extremely high-Q (> 10 7 ) resonances within a sufficiently large tuning range. These results demonstrate the profound role of band-offset tuning in achieving strong wave localization in few-cell superlattices, which is useful for on-chip applications such as lasing, optical filters, and optical harmonic generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in the arrangement of atoms in matter, known as structural phase transitions or phase changes, offer a remarkable range of opportunities in photonics. They are exploited in optical data storage and laser-based manufacturing, and have been explored as underpinning mechanisms for controlling laser dynamics, optical and plasmonic modulation, and low-energy switching in single nanoparticle devices and metamaterials. Comprehensive modeling of phase-change processes in photonics is, however, extremely challenging as it involves a number of entangled processes including atomic/molecular structural change, domain and crystallization dynamics, change of optical properties in inhomogeneous composite media, and the transport and dissipation of heat and light, which happen on time and length scales spanning several orders of magnitude. Here, for the first time, we show that the description of such complex nonlinear optical processes in phase-change materials can be reduced to a cellular automata model. Using the important example of a polymorphic gallium film, we show that a cellular model based on only a few independent and physically-interpretable parameters can reproduce the experimentally measured behaviors of gallium all-optical switches over a wide range of optical excitation regimes. The cellular automata methodology has considerable heuristic value for the study of complex nonlinear optical processes without the need to understand details of atomic dynamics, band structure, and energy conservation at the nanoscale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the ECLS-K, a dataset following a nationally representative cohort of children from kindergarten through 8th grade in the United States (N ≈ 9,250), this study fills the following knowledge gaps. We captured childhood economic experiences by incorporating multiple forms of exposures to income-based deprivation-poverty depth (i.e., the severity of deprivation), spells (i.e., length of time in poverty), and income volatility (i.e., fluctuations in family income)-with a latent class analysis. We also examined how different patterns of economic experiences shaped adolescents' socioemotional functioning through family stress (parental depressive symptoms and punitive parenting) and family investment (provision of stimulating materials and parental school involvement) pathways via structural equation modeling. Our analysis indicated 6 classes of deprivation, and these deprivation patterns had both direct and indirect significant associations with children's locus of control and internalizing behaviors. Our structural equation modeling results further indicated that deprivation was associated with parental depressive symptoms, which were, in turn, associated with parents providing less cognitively stimulating materials to children and engaging less in children's school activities. These disadvantages were associated with unfavorable socioemotional functioning in 8th grade. The findings highlight the importance of family practitioners and psychologists recognizing and acting on the interconnections among deprivation, inequity, and child well-being. Our results also suggest considering variations in economic experiences and mechanisms when developing informed policies and programs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]