In this paper, a whole field solution to finite internally cracked plates is derived by complex variable method, where the equations of equilibrium and compatibility, the single value condition of displacements and th...In this paper, a whole field solution to finite internally cracked plates is derived by complex variable method, where the equations of equilibrium and compatibility, the single value condition of displacements and the traction-free condition on crack surfaces are satisfied exactly. The stress intensity factors of finite plates with central crack or eccentric crack or cracks emanating from a hole are calculated by using minimum potential energy principle to treat the boundary conditions excluding those on crack surfaces. As an application of the method to engineering problems, the computation about a finite rivet joint stiffened plate with cracks emanating from a hole is also performed. The numerical results show that the method presented in this paper gives rapid convergence and is much time-saving in computations.展开更多
For the first time, this paper introduces Petri net theory to the domain of enterprise strategy management, puts forword a new way by using Petri net to analyse and describe the formulating process of enterprise merge...For the first time, this paper introduces Petri net theory to the domain of enterprise strategy management, puts forword a new way by using Petri net to analyse and describe the formulating process of enterprise merger and acquisition strategies, provides a clear and simple tool for supporting the management bureau of enterprise to make its merger and acquisition strategies.展开更多
Background: Most current approaches in forest science and practice require information about structure and growth of individual trees rather than- or in addition to- sum and mean values of growth and yield at forest s...Background: Most current approaches in forest science and practice require information about structure and growth of individual trees rather than- or in addition to- sum and mean values of growth and yield at forest stand level as provided by classic experimental designs. By inventing the wheel design, Nelder provided the possibility to turn to the individual tree as basic information unit. Such trials provide valuable insights into the dependency of growth on stand density at particular sites.Methods: Here, we present an extension of the original design and evaluation by Nelder.(i) We established Nelder wheels along an environmental gradient through Europe in atlantic climate in Belgium and Germany, Mediterranean climate in Italy, continental climate in Hungary as well as on high land climate in Mexico. Such disjunct Nelder wheels along an environmental gradient can be regarded and analysed as a two-factor design with the factors of site condition and stand density.(ii) We present an advanced statistical approach to evaluate density dependent growth dynamics of trees planted in form of the Nelder design, which considers spatio-temporal autocorrelation.(iii)We prove the usefulness of the methods in improving ecological theory concerning density related productivity,trade-offs between facilitation and competition, and allometric relations between size variables.Results: First evaluations based on remeasured Nelder wheels in oak(Quercus robur L.) show a size growth differentiation during the first observation period. In particular, height growth is accelerated under higher competition indicating facilitation effects. We detect furthermore a high variability in allometric relations.Conclusions: The proposed design, methods, and results are discussed regarding their impact on forest practice,model building, and ecological theory. We conclude that the extended Nelder approach is highly efficient in providing currently lacking individual tree level information.展开更多
The aim of this paper is to present the design and specifications of an integrated Delay Analysis Framework(DAF),which could be used to quantify the delay caused by the Risk Factors(RFs)in Oil and Gas Pipelines(OGPs)p...The aim of this paper is to present the design and specifications of an integrated Delay Analysis Framework(DAF),which could be used to quantify the delay caused by the Risk Factors(RFs)in Oil and Gas Pipelines(OGPs)projects in a simple and systematic way.The main inputs of the DAF are(i)the potential list of RFs in the projects and their impact levels on the projects and the estimated maximum and minimum duration of each task.Monte Carlo Simulation integrated within@Risk simulator was the key process algorithm that used to quantify the impact of delay caused by the associated RFs.The key output of the DAF is the amount of potential delay caused by RFs in the OGP project.The functionalities of the developed DAF were evaluated using a case study of newly developed OGP project,in the south of Iraq.It is found that the case study project might have delayed by 45 days if neglected the consideration of the RFs associated with the project at the construction stage.The paper concludes that identifying the associated RFs and analysing the potential delay in advance will help in reducing the construction delay and improving the effectiveness of the project delivery by taking suitable risk mitigation measures.展开更多
In 1993,the World Bank released a global report on the efficacy of health promotion,introducing the disability-adjusted life years(DALY)as a novel indicator.The DALY,a composite metric incorporating temporal and quali...In 1993,the World Bank released a global report on the efficacy of health promotion,introducing the disability-adjusted life years(DALY)as a novel indicator.The DALY,a composite metric incorporating temporal and qualitative data,is grounded in preferences regarding disability status.This review delineates the algorithm used to calculate the value of the proposed DALY synthetic indicator and elucidates key methodological challenges associated with its application.In contrast to the quality-adjusted life years approach,derived from multi-attribute utility theory,the DALY stands as an independent synthetic indicator that adopts the assumptions of the Time Trade Off utility technique to define Disability Weights.Claiming to rely on no mathematical or economic theory,DALY users appear to have exempted themselves from verifying whether this indicator meets the classical properties required of all indicators,notably content validity,reliability,specificity,and sensitivity.The DALY concept emerged primarily to facilitate comparisons of the health impacts of various diseases globally within the framework of the Global Burden of Disease initiative,leading to numerous publications in international literature.Despite widespread adoption,the DALY synthetic indicator has prompted significant methodological concerns since its inception,manifesting in inconsistent and non-reproducible results.Given the substantial diffusion of the DALY indicator and its critical role in health impact assessments,a reassessment is warranted.This reconsideration is imperative for enhancing the robustness and reliability of public health decisionmaking processes.展开更多
0 INTRODUCTION.The global availability of digital elevation model(DEM)data,such as 90-m Shuttle Radar Topography Mission(SRTM)DEM and 30-m Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer Global Digital ...0 INTRODUCTION.The global availability of digital elevation model(DEM)data,such as 90-m Shuttle Radar Topography Mission(SRTM)DEM and 30-m Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer Global Digital Elevation Model(ASTER GDEM),has been extensively utilized in morphotectonic analyses(e.g.,Wang et al.,2024;Cheng et al.,2018;Pérez-Pe?a et al.,2010;El Hamdouni et al.,2008).展开更多
Background:Besides seizures,a myriad of overlapping neuropsychiatric and cognitive comorbidities occur in patients with epilepsy,which further debilitates their quality of life.This study provides an in-depth characte...Background:Besides seizures,a myriad of overlapping neuropsychiatric and cognitive comorbidities occur in patients with epilepsy,which further debilitates their quality of life.This study provides an in-depth characterization of the impact of brivaracetam and rufinamide individually and in combination at 10 and 20 mg/kg doses,respec-tively,on corneal kindling-induced generalized seizures and behavioral alterations.Furthermore,observed convulsive frequency and behavioral changes were corre-lated to post-kindling-induced changes in the activity of markers of oxidative stress.Methods:Adult C57BL/6 mice were kindled via twice-daily transcorneal 50-Hz elec-trical stimulations(3 mA)for 3 s for 12 days until animals reached a fully kindled state.After the kindling procedure,animals were tested using a set of behavioral tests,and neurochemical alterations were assessed.Results:Corneal-kindled animals exhibited intense generalized convulsions,altered behavioral phenotypes typified by positive symptoms(hyperlocomotion),negative symptoms(anxiety and anhedonia),and deficits in semantic and working memory.BRV 10+RFM 20 dual regime increased convulsive threshold and propensity toward the start of stage 4–5 seizures and improved phenotypical deficits,that is,anxiety,depression,and memory impairments.Moreover,this combination therapy mitigated kindling-induced redox impairments as evidenced by reduced malondialdehyde and acetylcholinesterase levels and increased glutathione antioxidant activity in the brain of animals subjected to repetitive brain insult.Conclusion:Based on our outcomes,this dual therapy provides supporting evidence in alleviating epilepsy-induced neurobehavioral comorbidities and changes in redox homeostasis.展开更多
BACKGROUND Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion(I/R)injury,which is associated with high morbidity and mortality,is a main cause of unexpected myocardial injury after acute myocardial infarction.However,the underlying mech...BACKGROUND Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion(I/R)injury,which is associated with high morbidity and mortality,is a main cause of unexpected myocardial injury after acute myocardial infarction.However,the underlying mechanism remains unclear.Circular RNAs(circRNAs),which are formed from protein-coding genes,can sequester microRNAs or proteins,modulate transcription and interfere with splicing.Authoritative studies suggest that circRNAs may play an important role in myocardial I/R injury.AIM To explore the role and mechanism of circRNAs in myocardial I/R injury.METHODS We constructed a myocardial I/R injury model using ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery,and evaluated the success of the validated model using triphenyltetrazolium chloride and hematoxylin-eosin staining.Then,left ventricular samples from different groups were selected for mRNA-sequence,and differential gene screening was performed on the obtained results.The differentially obtained mRNAs were divided into up-regulated and down-regulated according to their expression levels,and Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)functional enrichment analysis were performed,respectively.Then,the obtained circRNA and microRNA(miRNA)were paired for analysis,and the binding sites of miRNA and mRNA were virtual screened.Finally,the obtained circRNA,miRNA and mRNA were constructed by ceRNA mutual most useful network.RESULTS We used an RNA sequencing array to investigate the expression signatures of circRNAs in myocardial I/R injury using three samples from the I/R group and three samples from the sham group.A total of 142 upregulated and 121 downregulated circRNAs were found to be differentially expressed(fold change≥2,P<0.05).GO and KEGG functional analyses of these circRNAs were performed.GO analysis revealed that these circRNAs were involved mainly in cellular and intracellular processes.KEGG analysis demonstrated that 6 of the top 20 pathways were correlated with cell apoptosis.Furthermore,a circRNA-miRNA coexpression network and ceRNA network based on these genes were constructed,revealing that mmu-circ-0001452,mmu-circ-0001637,and mmu-circ-0000870 might be key regulators of myocardial I/R injury.CONCLUSION This research provides new insights into the mechanism of myocardial I/R,which mmu-circ-0001452,mmu-circ-0001637,and mmu-circ-0000870 are expected to be new therapeutic targets for myocardial I/R injury.展开更多
Objective Observational studies have shown inconsistent associations of loneliness or social isolation(SI)with ischemic heart disease(IHD),with unknown mediators.Methods Using data from genome-wide association studies...Objective Observational studies have shown inconsistent associations of loneliness or social isolation(SI)with ischemic heart disease(IHD),with unknown mediators.Methods Using data from genome-wide association studies of predominantly European ancestry,we performed a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian Randomization(MR)study to estimate causal effects of loneliness(N=487,647)and SI traits on IHD(N=184,305).SI traits included whether individuals lived alone,participated in various types of social activities,and how often they had contact with friends or family(N=459,830 to 461,369).A network MR study was conducted to evaluate the mediating roles of 20 candidate mediators,including metabolic,behavioral and psychological factors.Results Loneliness increased IHD risk(OR=2.129;95%confidence interval[CI]:1.380 to 3.285),mediated by body fat percentage,waist-hip ratio,total cholesterol,and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.For SI traits,only fewer social activities increased IHD risk(OR=1.815;95%CI:1.189 to 2.772),mediated by hypertension,high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,triglycerides,fasting insulin,and smoking cessation.No reverse causality of IHD with loneliness and SI was found.Conclusion These findings suggested more attention should be paid to individuals who feel lonely and have fewer social activities to prevent IHD,with several mediators as prioritized targets for intervention.展开更多
The phenomenon of'bamboo-like'thin interlayers developed in rock salt is one of the most prominent features of Paleogene salt-bearing strata in eastern China,where centimeter-thick rock salts appear separately...The phenomenon of'bamboo-like'thin interlayers developed in rock salt is one of the most prominent features of Paleogene salt-bearing strata in eastern China,where centimeter-thick rock salts appear separately,forming rhythmic units.At present,detailed analyses of these rhythms of rock salt are still limited,which directly affects the achievement of comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the developmental laws pertaining to this kind of saline lake.Therefore,we selected the typical rhythmic'bamboo-like'rock salts of the Shizhai Depression in Jiangsu Province as the research subject.Through careful observation of rock salts in hand samples and detailed petrographic and mineralogical analyses,we analyzed the hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions,homogenization temperatures and chemical compositions of individual fluid inclusions in halite crystals.Early-stage rhythmic deposition was a product of continental saline lake evolution in winter or spring,late-stage rhythmic deposition being the product of evolution in the summer.The seasonal evolution of the halite sequences was determined and two brine enrichment events were identified.In addition,the quiet saline lake environment with concentrated brine represented by rock salt was more likely to precipitate potassium.This study provides a new reference for the evolution of both Paleogene climate and saline lakes in eastern China.展开更多
This paper employs the Direct Finite Element Squared(DFE2)method to develop Sparse Polynomial Chaos Expansions(SPCE)models for analyzing the electromechanical properties of multiscale piezoelectric structures.By incor...This paper employs the Direct Finite Element Squared(DFE2)method to develop Sparse Polynomial Chaos Expansions(SPCE)models for analyzing the electromechanical properties of multiscale piezoelectric structures.By incorporating variations in piezoelectric and elastic constants,the DFE2 method is utilized to simulate the statistical characteristics—such as expected values and standard deviations—of electromechanical properties,including Mises stress,maximum in-plane principal strain,electric potential gradient,and electric potential,under varying parameters.This approach achieves a balance between computational efficiency and accuracy.Different SPCE models are used to investigate the influence of piezoelectric and elastic constants on multiscale piezoelectric materials.Additionally,the multiscale parameterization study investigates how microscale material properties affect the macroscopic response of these structures and materials.展开更多
Since the initial observation of carbon nanotubes(CNTs)and graphene platelets(GPLs)in the 1990 and 2000s,the demand for high-performance structural applications and multifunctional materials has driven significant int...Since the initial observation of carbon nanotubes(CNTs)and graphene platelets(GPLs)in the 1990 and 2000s,the demand for high-performance structural applications and multifunctional materials has driven significant interest in composite structures reinforced with GPLs and CNTs.Incorporating these nanofillers into matrix materials markedly enhances the mechanical properties of the structures.To further improve efficiency and functionality,func-tionally graded(FG)distributions of CNTs and GPLs have been proposed.This study presents an extensive review of computational approaches developed to predict the global behavior of composite structural components enhanced with CNT and GPL nanofillers.The analysis focuses on key structural elements,such as plate-type configurations,cylindrical and curved shells,and beams,emphasizing the computational techniques utilized to simulate their mechanical behavior.The utilization of three-dimensional elasticity theories and equivalent single-layer(ESL)frameworks,which are widely employed in the modeling and analysis of these composites,is comprehensively discussed.Additionally,the paper examines various mechanical performance aspects,including static,buckling,post-buckling,vibrational,and dynamic responses for the mentioned structures.The unique features of hybrid nanocomposites,combining CNTs and GPLs,are also analyzed.Furthermore,the study delves into the fabrication and processing techniques of these materials,with a particular focus on strategies to mitigate nanofiller agglomeration.The review extends to cover thermal and electrical properties,durability under environmental exposure,fatigue resistance,and vibration-damping characteristics.In conclusion,the paper underscores the necessity for ongoing advancements in computational modeling to facilitate improved design,analysis,and optimization of nanocomposite structures.Future research opportunities in this rapidly advancing domain are also outlined.展开更多
Verification and validation(V&V)is a helpful tool for evaluating simulation errors,but its application in unsteady cavitating flow remains a challenging issue due to the difficulty in meeting the requirement of an...Verification and validation(V&V)is a helpful tool for evaluating simulation errors,but its application in unsteady cavitating flow remains a challenging issue due to the difficulty in meeting the requirement of an asymptotic range.Hence,a new V&V approach for large eddy simulation(LES)is proposed.This approach offers a viable solution for the error estimation of simulation data that are unable to satisfy the asymptotic range.The simulation errors of cavitating flow around a projectile near the free surface are assessed using the new V&V method.The evident error values are primarily dispersed around the cavity region and free surface.The increasingly intense cavitating flow increases the error magnitudes.In addition,the modeling error magnitudes of the Dynamic Smagorinsky-Lilly model are substantially smaller than that of the Smagorinsky-Lilly model.The present V&V method can capture the decrease in the modeling errors due to model enhancements,further exhibiting its applicability in cavitating flow simulations.Moreover,the monitoring points where the simulation data are beyond the asymptotic range are primarily dispersed near the cavity region,and the number of such points grows as the cavitating flow intensifies.The simulation outcomes also suggest that the re-entrant jet and shedding cavity collapse are the chief sources of vorticity motions,which remarkably affect the simulation accuracy.The results of this study provide a valuable reference for V&V research.展开更多
Soil nailing is an effective method used for stabilizing excavations and natural ground slopes.In situations with space constraints due to rapid urbanization,the available space near the soil-nailed vertical cuts can ...Soil nailing is an effective method used for stabilizing excavations and natural ground slopes.In situations with space constraints due to rapid urbanization,the available space near the soil-nailed vertical cuts can be utilized to construct multi-storied buildings.However,the presence of a building in proximity to the retained soil mass may alter the seismic response of a nailed structure.The building can be either constructed at a distance,connected or attached to the soil-nailed structure depending on the space availability.This study evaluates the behavior of such an integrated soil-nailed,wall-building system under seismic excitations by employing finite element analysis.The seismic response of a nailed wall supporting a vertical cut of a height of 6m under different connectivity conditions with an adjacent multi-story RC building is analyzed.Parametric studies are conducted with various heights of a building and under different frequency content of seismic excitations.The performance of the integrated system is evaluated regarding displacement and the acceleration response of the soil-nailed wall,as well as tensile force mobilized in nails.The innovative concept of integration between the two structures yields better seismic stability of the nailed structure,as well as for optimum use of land in space-constrained grounds with vertical cuts.展开更多
Amorphous microwires(AMWs)are well known for their high strength and elastic limit,making them excellent candidates for various engineering applications.However,one of the key challenges in utilizing AMWs is their inh...Amorphous microwires(AMWs)are well known for their high strength and elastic limit,making them excellent candidates for various engineering applications.However,one of the key challenges in utilizing AMWs is their inherent variability in mechanical performance,particularly in achieving stable fracture strength across different compositions.This study provides critical insights into the relationship between microstructure and mechanical behavior by investigating CuZr-based AMWs with varying compositions during quasi-static tensile fracture.Specifically,uniaxial tensile tests on Cu_(48)Zr_(48)Al_(4),Cu_(45)Zr_(45)Co_(10),and Cu_(48)Zr_(47.2)Al_(4)Nb_(0.8) AMWs,combined with log-normal and Weibull statistical analysis,revealed that Cu_(48)Zr_(47.2)Al4Nb_(0.8) exhibits the highest fracture reliability(mTr=3.97)and fracture threshold(σμTr=1307 MPa),while Cu_(48)Zr_(48)Al_(4) showed the lowest performance(m_(Tr)=3.08,σ_(μTr)=1085 MPa).Moreover,a standard power-law relationship exists between the characteristic size L of the fracture surface and the degree of order O was established,linking atomic mixing enthalpy and atomic radius to structural homogeneity and fracture behavior.This study provides an important perspective for optimizing AMW compositions to achieve higher fracture strength and improve the reliability for engineering applications.展开更多
A dual S-scheme g-C_(3)N_(4)/Ag_(3)PO_(4)/g-C_(3)N_(5) heterojunction was prepared by decomposition methods,and it displayed enhanced performance to degrade tetracycline hydrochloride with the ideal stability under di...A dual S-scheme g-C_(3)N_(4)/Ag_(3)PO_(4)/g-C_(3)N_(5) heterojunction was prepared by decomposition methods,and it displayed enhanced performance to degrade tetracycline hydrochloride with the ideal stability under different water substrates and ions.Comparing with three single components,as g-C_(3)N_(4),g-C_(3)N_(5),and Ag_(3)PO_(4),the dual S-scheme g-C_(3)N_(4)/Ag_(3)PO_(4)/g-C_(3)N_(5) heterojunction displayed 4.4-,3.4-,and 2.5-times enhancements in the tetracycline hydrochloride removal.Based on the dynamics analyses for charge carriers and band structure calculations,two channels of molecular oxygen activation(MOA)between Ag_(3)PO_(4)and g-C_(3)N_(4)(and g-C_(3)N_(5))were confirmed.More importantly,according to this double consumption process of excited electrons,dual S-scheme g-C_(3)N_(4)/Ag_(3)PO_(4)/g-C_(3)N_(5) could suppress the charge recombination,which was the key point to boosting photocatalytic activity.Moreover,the determination of intermediates also supported the vital role of MOA during these photocatalytic reactions.this report of two reactive sites in MOA that generate reactive oxygen species in a“V”type band structure.The electronic dynamic in the reaction was also testified by several detections,indicating the enhanced charge separation and migration from internal field effect and electron trapping from dual S-scheme mechanism.This work provides a new research direction for the design and mechanism analysis of dual S-scheme photocatalysts.展开更多
The long-term effects of combined antiretroviral therapy(ART)on liver fibrosis patterns in adults living with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)and chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV)are not well understood.Therefore,this s...The long-term effects of combined antiretroviral therapy(ART)on liver fibrosis patterns in adults living with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)and chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV)are not well understood.Therefore,this study aimed to investigate the trajectories of liver fibrosis and identify the associations of baseline variables with different patterns of liver fibrosis evolution.A total of 333 individuals with HIV/HBV co-infection and undergoing long-term ART were enrolled in this study.Demographic,clinical,and biochemical data were collected at baseline and during annual visits.Group-based trajectory models(GBTMs)were used to detect the patterns of liver fibrosis evolution based on longitudinal data of fibrosis-4(Fib-4)and aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index(APRI)scores.Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify baseline predictors of liver fibrosis evolution.The median age of all participants was 33 years.Among them,89.5%initially received TDF-containing ART.GBTMs identified two distinct patterns of liver fibrosis evolution using either APRI or Fib-4 scores.The majority of individuals(78.5%for APRI and 75.3%for Fib-4;pattern A)showed stable or low fibrosis with no progression,while the remaining participants showed regression from high fibrosis levels(21.5%for APRI and 24.7%for Fib-4;pattern B).Pattern A participants were younger and had higher CD4^(+)cell counts,higher lymphocyte cell counts,higher white blood cell counts,and lower platelet counts at baseline compared to pattern B participants.For HIV/HBV co-infected patients with varying degrees of initial liver fibrosis,long-term ART has shown distinct patterns of alleviating liver fibrosis.展开更多
文摘In this paper, a whole field solution to finite internally cracked plates is derived by complex variable method, where the equations of equilibrium and compatibility, the single value condition of displacements and the traction-free condition on crack surfaces are satisfied exactly. The stress intensity factors of finite plates with central crack or eccentric crack or cracks emanating from a hole are calculated by using minimum potential energy principle to treat the boundary conditions excluding those on crack surfaces. As an application of the method to engineering problems, the computation about a finite rivet joint stiffened plate with cracks emanating from a hole is also performed. The numerical results show that the method presented in this paper gives rapid convergence and is much time-saving in computations.
基金national Natural science Fundation of China. No.79570040
文摘For the first time, this paper introduces Petri net theory to the domain of enterprise strategy management, puts forword a new way by using Petri net to analyse and describe the formulating process of enterprise merger and acquisition strategies, provides a clear and simple tool for supporting the management bureau of enterprise to make its merger and acquisition strategies.
基金funding the project"Biodiversity,productivity,and C-sequestration of oak stands"(No.5102150)the Bavarian State Ministry for Nutrition,Agriculture and Forestry for permanent support of the project W 07"Long-term experimental plots for forest growth and yield research"(7831-23953-2014)
文摘Background: Most current approaches in forest science and practice require information about structure and growth of individual trees rather than- or in addition to- sum and mean values of growth and yield at forest stand level as provided by classic experimental designs. By inventing the wheel design, Nelder provided the possibility to turn to the individual tree as basic information unit. Such trials provide valuable insights into the dependency of growth on stand density at particular sites.Methods: Here, we present an extension of the original design and evaluation by Nelder.(i) We established Nelder wheels along an environmental gradient through Europe in atlantic climate in Belgium and Germany, Mediterranean climate in Italy, continental climate in Hungary as well as on high land climate in Mexico. Such disjunct Nelder wheels along an environmental gradient can be regarded and analysed as a two-factor design with the factors of site condition and stand density.(ii) We present an advanced statistical approach to evaluate density dependent growth dynamics of trees planted in form of the Nelder design, which considers spatio-temporal autocorrelation.(iii)We prove the usefulness of the methods in improving ecological theory concerning density related productivity,trade-offs between facilitation and competition, and allometric relations between size variables.Results: First evaluations based on remeasured Nelder wheels in oak(Quercus robur L.) show a size growth differentiation during the first observation period. In particular, height growth is accelerated under higher competition indicating facilitation effects. We detect furthermore a high variability in allometric relations.Conclusions: The proposed design, methods, and results are discussed regarding their impact on forest practice,model building, and ecological theory. We conclude that the extended Nelder approach is highly efficient in providing currently lacking individual tree level information.
文摘The aim of this paper is to present the design and specifications of an integrated Delay Analysis Framework(DAF),which could be used to quantify the delay caused by the Risk Factors(RFs)in Oil and Gas Pipelines(OGPs)projects in a simple and systematic way.The main inputs of the DAF are(i)the potential list of RFs in the projects and their impact levels on the projects and the estimated maximum and minimum duration of each task.Monte Carlo Simulation integrated within@Risk simulator was the key process algorithm that used to quantify the impact of delay caused by the associated RFs.The key output of the DAF is the amount of potential delay caused by RFs in the OGP project.The functionalities of the developed DAF were evaluated using a case study of newly developed OGP project,in the south of Iraq.It is found that the case study project might have delayed by 45 days if neglected the consideration of the RFs associated with the project at the construction stage.The paper concludes that identifying the associated RFs and analysing the potential delay in advance will help in reducing the construction delay and improving the effectiveness of the project delivery by taking suitable risk mitigation measures.
文摘In 1993,the World Bank released a global report on the efficacy of health promotion,introducing the disability-adjusted life years(DALY)as a novel indicator.The DALY,a composite metric incorporating temporal and qualitative data,is grounded in preferences regarding disability status.This review delineates the algorithm used to calculate the value of the proposed DALY synthetic indicator and elucidates key methodological challenges associated with its application.In contrast to the quality-adjusted life years approach,derived from multi-attribute utility theory,the DALY stands as an independent synthetic indicator that adopts the assumptions of the Time Trade Off utility technique to define Disability Weights.Claiming to rely on no mathematical or economic theory,DALY users appear to have exempted themselves from verifying whether this indicator meets the classical properties required of all indicators,notably content validity,reliability,specificity,and sensitivity.The DALY concept emerged primarily to facilitate comparisons of the health impacts of various diseases globally within the framework of the Global Burden of Disease initiative,leading to numerous publications in international literature.Despite widespread adoption,the DALY synthetic indicator has prompted significant methodological concerns since its inception,manifesting in inconsistent and non-reproducible results.Given the substantial diffusion of the DALY indicator and its critical role in health impact assessments,a reassessment is warranted.This reconsideration is imperative for enhancing the robustness and reliability of public health decisionmaking processes.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Project of China(No.2023YFC3007303)the Open Research Project of the Hubei Key Laboratory of Intelligent Geo-Information Processing(No.KLIGIP-2019B08)。
文摘0 INTRODUCTION.The global availability of digital elevation model(DEM)data,such as 90-m Shuttle Radar Topography Mission(SRTM)DEM and 30-m Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer Global Digital Elevation Model(ASTER GDEM),has been extensively utilized in morphotectonic analyses(e.g.,Wang et al.,2024;Cheng et al.,2018;Pérez-Pe?a et al.,2010;El Hamdouni et al.,2008).
基金The authors extend their appreciation to the Distinguished Scientist Fellowship program at King Saud University,Riyadh,Saudi Arabia,for funding this work through Research Supporting Project Number RSP2024R131.
文摘Background:Besides seizures,a myriad of overlapping neuropsychiatric and cognitive comorbidities occur in patients with epilepsy,which further debilitates their quality of life.This study provides an in-depth characterization of the impact of brivaracetam and rufinamide individually and in combination at 10 and 20 mg/kg doses,respec-tively,on corneal kindling-induced generalized seizures and behavioral alterations.Furthermore,observed convulsive frequency and behavioral changes were corre-lated to post-kindling-induced changes in the activity of markers of oxidative stress.Methods:Adult C57BL/6 mice were kindled via twice-daily transcorneal 50-Hz elec-trical stimulations(3 mA)for 3 s for 12 days until animals reached a fully kindled state.After the kindling procedure,animals were tested using a set of behavioral tests,and neurochemical alterations were assessed.Results:Corneal-kindled animals exhibited intense generalized convulsions,altered behavioral phenotypes typified by positive symptoms(hyperlocomotion),negative symptoms(anxiety and anhedonia),and deficits in semantic and working memory.BRV 10+RFM 20 dual regime increased convulsive threshold and propensity toward the start of stage 4–5 seizures and improved phenotypical deficits,that is,anxiety,depression,and memory impairments.Moreover,this combination therapy mitigated kindling-induced redox impairments as evidenced by reduced malondialdehyde and acetylcholinesterase levels and increased glutathione antioxidant activity in the brain of animals subjected to repetitive brain insult.Conclusion:Based on our outcomes,this dual therapy provides supporting evidence in alleviating epilepsy-induced neurobehavioral comorbidities and changes in redox homeostasis.
基金Supported by Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China,No.LQ23H020004The Medical and Health Research Project of Zhejiang province,No.2024KY983Basic Medical Health Technology Project of Wenzhou Science and Technology Bureau,No.Y20210818 and No.Y20210140.
文摘BACKGROUND Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion(I/R)injury,which is associated with high morbidity and mortality,is a main cause of unexpected myocardial injury after acute myocardial infarction.However,the underlying mechanism remains unclear.Circular RNAs(circRNAs),which are formed from protein-coding genes,can sequester microRNAs or proteins,modulate transcription and interfere with splicing.Authoritative studies suggest that circRNAs may play an important role in myocardial I/R injury.AIM To explore the role and mechanism of circRNAs in myocardial I/R injury.METHODS We constructed a myocardial I/R injury model using ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery,and evaluated the success of the validated model using triphenyltetrazolium chloride and hematoxylin-eosin staining.Then,left ventricular samples from different groups were selected for mRNA-sequence,and differential gene screening was performed on the obtained results.The differentially obtained mRNAs were divided into up-regulated and down-regulated according to their expression levels,and Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)functional enrichment analysis were performed,respectively.Then,the obtained circRNA and microRNA(miRNA)were paired for analysis,and the binding sites of miRNA and mRNA were virtual screened.Finally,the obtained circRNA,miRNA and mRNA were constructed by ceRNA mutual most useful network.RESULTS We used an RNA sequencing array to investigate the expression signatures of circRNAs in myocardial I/R injury using three samples from the I/R group and three samples from the sham group.A total of 142 upregulated and 121 downregulated circRNAs were found to be differentially expressed(fold change≥2,P<0.05).GO and KEGG functional analyses of these circRNAs were performed.GO analysis revealed that these circRNAs were involved mainly in cellular and intracellular processes.KEGG analysis demonstrated that 6 of the top 20 pathways were correlated with cell apoptosis.Furthermore,a circRNA-miRNA coexpression network and ceRNA network based on these genes were constructed,revealing that mmu-circ-0001452,mmu-circ-0001637,and mmu-circ-0000870 might be key regulators of myocardial I/R injury.CONCLUSION This research provides new insights into the mechanism of myocardial I/R,which mmu-circ-0001452,mmu-circ-0001637,and mmu-circ-0000870 are expected to be new therapeutic targets for myocardial I/R injury.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82322059)the Chinese Academy of Medical·Sciences Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(2021-I2M-1-010)+1 种基金the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFC2500500)the National High Level Hospital Clinical Research Funding(2023-GSPRC-19).
文摘Objective Observational studies have shown inconsistent associations of loneliness or social isolation(SI)with ischemic heart disease(IHD),with unknown mediators.Methods Using data from genome-wide association studies of predominantly European ancestry,we performed a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian Randomization(MR)study to estimate causal effects of loneliness(N=487,647)and SI traits on IHD(N=184,305).SI traits included whether individuals lived alone,participated in various types of social activities,and how often they had contact with friends or family(N=459,830 to 461,369).A network MR study was conducted to evaluate the mediating roles of 20 candidate mediators,including metabolic,behavioral and psychological factors.Results Loneliness increased IHD risk(OR=2.129;95%confidence interval[CI]:1.380 to 3.285),mediated by body fat percentage,waist-hip ratio,total cholesterol,and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.For SI traits,only fewer social activities increased IHD risk(OR=1.815;95%CI:1.189 to 2.772),mediated by hypertension,high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,triglycerides,fasting insulin,and smoking cessation.No reverse causality of IHD with loneliness and SI was found.Conclusion These findings suggested more attention should be paid to individuals who feel lonely and have fewer social activities to prevent IHD,with several mediators as prioritized targets for intervention.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province,China(Grant No.20242BAB20130)the Basic Research Funds Program of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences(Grant No.YYWF201607)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41902064)。
文摘The phenomenon of'bamboo-like'thin interlayers developed in rock salt is one of the most prominent features of Paleogene salt-bearing strata in eastern China,where centimeter-thick rock salts appear separately,forming rhythmic units.At present,detailed analyses of these rhythms of rock salt are still limited,which directly affects the achievement of comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the developmental laws pertaining to this kind of saline lake.Therefore,we selected the typical rhythmic'bamboo-like'rock salts of the Shizhai Depression in Jiangsu Province as the research subject.Through careful observation of rock salts in hand samples and detailed petrographic and mineralogical analyses,we analyzed the hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions,homogenization temperatures and chemical compositions of individual fluid inclusions in halite crystals.Early-stage rhythmic deposition was a product of continental saline lake evolution in winter or spring,late-stage rhythmic deposition being the product of evolution in the summer.The seasonal evolution of the halite sequences was determined and two brine enrichment events were identified.In addition,the quiet saline lake environment with concentrated brine represented by rock salt was more likely to precipitate potassium.This study provides a new reference for the evolution of both Paleogene climate and saline lakes in eastern China.
基金supported by the Zhumadian 2023 Major Science and Technology Special Project(Grant No.ZMDSZDZX2023002)the Postgraduate Education Reform and Quality Improvement Project of Henan Province(Grant No.YJS2023JD52).
文摘This paper employs the Direct Finite Element Squared(DFE2)method to develop Sparse Polynomial Chaos Expansions(SPCE)models for analyzing the electromechanical properties of multiscale piezoelectric structures.By incorporating variations in piezoelectric and elastic constants,the DFE2 method is utilized to simulate the statistical characteristics—such as expected values and standard deviations—of electromechanical properties,including Mises stress,maximum in-plane principal strain,electric potential gradient,and electric potential,under varying parameters.This approach achieves a balance between computational efficiency and accuracy.Different SPCE models are used to investigate the influence of piezoelectric and elastic constants on multiscale piezoelectric materials.Additionally,the multiscale parameterization study investigates how microscale material properties affect the macroscopic response of these structures and materials.
文摘Since the initial observation of carbon nanotubes(CNTs)and graphene platelets(GPLs)in the 1990 and 2000s,the demand for high-performance structural applications and multifunctional materials has driven significant interest in composite structures reinforced with GPLs and CNTs.Incorporating these nanofillers into matrix materials markedly enhances the mechanical properties of the structures.To further improve efficiency and functionality,func-tionally graded(FG)distributions of CNTs and GPLs have been proposed.This study presents an extensive review of computational approaches developed to predict the global behavior of composite structural components enhanced with CNT and GPL nanofillers.The analysis focuses on key structural elements,such as plate-type configurations,cylindrical and curved shells,and beams,emphasizing the computational techniques utilized to simulate their mechanical behavior.The utilization of three-dimensional elasticity theories and equivalent single-layer(ESL)frameworks,which are widely employed in the modeling and analysis of these composites,is comprehensively discussed.Additionally,the paper examines various mechanical performance aspects,including static,buckling,post-buckling,vibrational,and dynamic responses for the mentioned structures.The unique features of hybrid nanocomposites,combining CNTs and GPLs,are also analyzed.Furthermore,the study delves into the fabrication and processing techniques of these materials,with a particular focus on strategies to mitigate nanofiller agglomeration.The review extends to cover thermal and electrical properties,durability under environmental exposure,fatigue resistance,and vibration-damping characteristics.In conclusion,the paper underscores the necessity for ongoing advancements in computational modeling to facilitate improved design,analysis,and optimization of nanocomposite structures.Future research opportunities in this rapidly advancing domain are also outlined.
基金Supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2022YFB3303501)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Project Nos.52176041 and 12102308)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Project Nos.2042023kf0208 and 2042023kf0159).
文摘Verification and validation(V&V)is a helpful tool for evaluating simulation errors,but its application in unsteady cavitating flow remains a challenging issue due to the difficulty in meeting the requirement of an asymptotic range.Hence,a new V&V approach for large eddy simulation(LES)is proposed.This approach offers a viable solution for the error estimation of simulation data that are unable to satisfy the asymptotic range.The simulation errors of cavitating flow around a projectile near the free surface are assessed using the new V&V method.The evident error values are primarily dispersed around the cavity region and free surface.The increasingly intense cavitating flow increases the error magnitudes.In addition,the modeling error magnitudes of the Dynamic Smagorinsky-Lilly model are substantially smaller than that of the Smagorinsky-Lilly model.The present V&V method can capture the decrease in the modeling errors due to model enhancements,further exhibiting its applicability in cavitating flow simulations.Moreover,the monitoring points where the simulation data are beyond the asymptotic range are primarily dispersed near the cavity region,and the number of such points grows as the cavitating flow intensifies.The simulation outcomes also suggest that the re-entrant jet and shedding cavity collapse are the chief sources of vorticity motions,which remarkably affect the simulation accuracy.The results of this study provide a valuable reference for V&V research.
文摘Soil nailing is an effective method used for stabilizing excavations and natural ground slopes.In situations with space constraints due to rapid urbanization,the available space near the soil-nailed vertical cuts can be utilized to construct multi-storied buildings.However,the presence of a building in proximity to the retained soil mass may alter the seismic response of a nailed structure.The building can be either constructed at a distance,connected or attached to the soil-nailed structure depending on the space availability.This study evaluates the behavior of such an integrated soil-nailed,wall-building system under seismic excitations by employing finite element analysis.The seismic response of a nailed wall supporting a vertical cut of a height of 6m under different connectivity conditions with an adjacent multi-story RC building is analyzed.Parametric studies are conducted with various heights of a building and under different frequency content of seismic excitations.The performance of the integrated system is evaluated regarding displacement and the acceleration response of the soil-nailed wall,as well as tensile force mobilized in nails.The innovative concept of integration between the two structures yields better seismic stability of the nailed structure,as well as for optimum use of land in space-constrained grounds with vertical cuts.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52071118,52371025,and 52171154)。
文摘Amorphous microwires(AMWs)are well known for their high strength and elastic limit,making them excellent candidates for various engineering applications.However,one of the key challenges in utilizing AMWs is their inherent variability in mechanical performance,particularly in achieving stable fracture strength across different compositions.This study provides critical insights into the relationship between microstructure and mechanical behavior by investigating CuZr-based AMWs with varying compositions during quasi-static tensile fracture.Specifically,uniaxial tensile tests on Cu_(48)Zr_(48)Al_(4),Cu_(45)Zr_(45)Co_(10),and Cu_(48)Zr_(47.2)Al_(4)Nb_(0.8) AMWs,combined with log-normal and Weibull statistical analysis,revealed that Cu_(48)Zr_(47.2)Al4Nb_(0.8) exhibits the highest fracture reliability(mTr=3.97)and fracture threshold(σμTr=1307 MPa),while Cu_(48)Zr_(48)Al_(4) showed the lowest performance(m_(Tr)=3.08,σ_(μTr)=1085 MPa).Moreover,a standard power-law relationship exists between the characteristic size L of the fracture surface and the degree of order O was established,linking atomic mixing enthalpy and atomic radius to structural homogeneity and fracture behavior.This study provides an important perspective for optimizing AMW compositions to achieve higher fracture strength and improve the reliability for engineering applications.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.22106042)Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.2024JJ5124,2024JJ5126)the Scientific Research Foundation of Hunan Provincial Education Department(No.23B0564)。
文摘A dual S-scheme g-C_(3)N_(4)/Ag_(3)PO_(4)/g-C_(3)N_(5) heterojunction was prepared by decomposition methods,and it displayed enhanced performance to degrade tetracycline hydrochloride with the ideal stability under different water substrates and ions.Comparing with three single components,as g-C_(3)N_(4),g-C_(3)N_(5),and Ag_(3)PO_(4),the dual S-scheme g-C_(3)N_(4)/Ag_(3)PO_(4)/g-C_(3)N_(5) heterojunction displayed 4.4-,3.4-,and 2.5-times enhancements in the tetracycline hydrochloride removal.Based on the dynamics analyses for charge carriers and band structure calculations,two channels of molecular oxygen activation(MOA)between Ag_(3)PO_(4)and g-C_(3)N_(4)(and g-C_(3)N_(5))were confirmed.More importantly,according to this double consumption process of excited electrons,dual S-scheme g-C_(3)N_(4)/Ag_(3)PO_(4)/g-C_(3)N_(5) could suppress the charge recombination,which was the key point to boosting photocatalytic activity.Moreover,the determination of intermediates also supported the vital role of MOA during these photocatalytic reactions.this report of two reactive sites in MOA that generate reactive oxygen species in a“V”type band structure.The electronic dynamic in the reaction was also testified by several detections,indicating the enhanced charge separation and migration from internal field effect and electron trapping from dual S-scheme mechanism.This work provides a new research direction for the design and mechanism analysis of dual S-scheme photocatalysts.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC,82272312,82241072,82072271,and 82272319)the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao Science and Technology Project(Category C project)(SGDX20220530111403024)+5 种基金the National Key R&D Program of China(2023YFC2307004,2021YFC2301900,and 2021YFC2301905)the 100 Top Talent Programs of Sun Yat-sen University(58000-12230029)the High-Level Public Health Specialized Talents Project of Beijing Municipal Health Commission(2022-2-018 and 2022-1-007)Beijing Health Technologies Promotion Program(BHTPP202002)the Climbing the peak(Dengfeng)Talent Training Program of Beijing Hospitals Authority(DFL20191701)Beijing Key Laboratory for HIV/AIDS Research(BZ0089).
文摘The long-term effects of combined antiretroviral therapy(ART)on liver fibrosis patterns in adults living with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)and chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV)are not well understood.Therefore,this study aimed to investigate the trajectories of liver fibrosis and identify the associations of baseline variables with different patterns of liver fibrosis evolution.A total of 333 individuals with HIV/HBV co-infection and undergoing long-term ART were enrolled in this study.Demographic,clinical,and biochemical data were collected at baseline and during annual visits.Group-based trajectory models(GBTMs)were used to detect the patterns of liver fibrosis evolution based on longitudinal data of fibrosis-4(Fib-4)and aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index(APRI)scores.Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify baseline predictors of liver fibrosis evolution.The median age of all participants was 33 years.Among them,89.5%initially received TDF-containing ART.GBTMs identified two distinct patterns of liver fibrosis evolution using either APRI or Fib-4 scores.The majority of individuals(78.5%for APRI and 75.3%for Fib-4;pattern A)showed stable or low fibrosis with no progression,while the remaining participants showed regression from high fibrosis levels(21.5%for APRI and 24.7%for Fib-4;pattern B).Pattern A participants were younger and had higher CD4^(+)cell counts,higher lymphocyte cell counts,higher white blood cell counts,and lower platelet counts at baseline compared to pattern B participants.For HIV/HBV co-infected patients with varying degrees of initial liver fibrosis,long-term ART has shown distinct patterns of alleviating liver fibrosis.
