There is no question that learning a foreign language like English is different from learning other subjects, mainly because it is new to us Chinese and there is no enough environment. But that doesn’t mean we have n...There is no question that learning a foreign language like English is different from learning other subjects, mainly because it is new to us Chinese and there is no enough environment. But that doesn’t mean we have no way to learn it and do it well .If asked to identify the most powerful influences on learning, motivation would probably be high on most teachers’ and learners’ lists. It seems only sensible to assume that English learning is most likely to occur when the learners want to learn. That is, when motivation such as interest, curiosity, or a desire achieves, the learners would be engaged in learning. However, how do we teachers motivate our students to like learning and learn well? Here, rewards both extrinsic and intrinsic are of great value and play a vital role in English learning.展开更多
Traditionally, organizations assume that compensation/pay and monetary benefits are what all employees need to work harder, be productive, or remain with the company. According to Abraham Maslow, within every person i...Traditionally, organizations assume that compensation/pay and monetary benefits are what all employees need to work harder, be productive, or remain with the company. According to Abraham Maslow, within every person is a hierarchy of five needs： physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs Organizations must be able to identify what employees desire to secure optimum performance and to meet the needs of both employees and employers. This research focuses on the generational gap and the significance of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards in the workforce. The purpose and objective of this research are to test the significance of monetary versus non-monetary rewards among the different generations in the organization. A self-designed questionnaire distributed to a multi-generational group of employees of selected organizations was used to collect the analyzed data. Sixty-five （65%） responses were obtained. Secondary data were used to elucidate the needs in this area of study. Because the workforce is predicted to become more diverse in terms of age, organizations will be unlikely to implement one set of rewards for the multiple generations. This is due to the differing expectations and requirements among the generations. However, the results indicate no significant difference in monetary versus non-monetary rewards among the different generations in the workforce.展开更多
If extrinsic rewards will spark student engagement with tasks of limited intrinsic motivation, such as writing revision, we owe it to the principles of best practices to draw forth curiosity and passion by every means...If extrinsic rewards will spark student engagement with tasks of limited intrinsic motivation, such as writing revision, we owe it to the principles of best practices to draw forth curiosity and passion by every means possible. Including motivational situations such as contests, rewards, and recognition events to spark engagement in low interest tasks may tempt initially indecisive students, while driving students who are willing participants to perform at a deeper level. To revitalize the valid use of external performance motivations, more teachers can promote strategic activities tying core academics to student-oriented gains.展开更多
This paper aims to explore the impact of policy of giving rewards and subsidies(GRS) for grassland ecological conservation in Tibetan Plateau implemented by the Chinese government since 2009.Taking Gerze County in Nga...This paper aims to explore the impact of policy of giving rewards and subsidies(GRS) for grassland ecological conservation in Tibetan Plateau implemented by the Chinese government since 2009.Taking Gerze County in Ngari Prefecture in the Tibetan Autonomous Region(TAR) as an example,it discusses the objective,implementation and outcome of that policy with regard to the ecological reconstruction and problems that have ensured.Located in the northern part of the Qiangtang Plateau,Gerze is the largest county in Ngari Prefecture.It covers more than 7.8 million acres of pastureland,of which 6.2 million acres are usable for pastoralism; 3.4 million acres,however,lack water source.In recent decades,due to the increased population and other reasons,pastures of the area have shown signs of overgrazing,thus leading to serious degradation,desertification and salinization of the grassland.Since 2009,when neighboring Coqin County was chosen as a pilot site for the national ecological incentive and subsidy policy(or: ecological compensation policy),Gerze has also started to adopt this policy and brought ful implementation in 2010.Its purpose is to solve the problem of overgrazing.But like other policies carried out in Gerze,its implementation is faced with many challenges.First,it is difficult to define the types and scopes of the incentives and subsidies,which have become a major source of complaints of the local herdsmen.Second,the local herdsmen are also concerned with the fairness of assigning rewards and subsidies.Third,the high cost of the policy's implementation and supervision reduces its effects.Fourth,the fact that the herdsmen are not willing to reduce livestock population makes it difficult for the policy to achieve actual results.The author thinks it's necessary to revise and improve the current ecological incentive and subsidy policy.展开更多
Gao Pingyuan has seen new hopes of a new life after serving his terms for 12 years at the Yudong Prison in central China＇s Henan Province. He got the special class award for his accomplished teaching in prison.
New rules for this year＇s national college entrance examination, or gaokao in Mandarin, which takes place from June 7 to 9 every year, sparked heated debate among the public in China. Before gaokao in 2014, some prov...New rules for this year＇s national college entrance examination, or gaokao in Mandarin, which takes place from June 7 to 9 every year, sparked heated debate among the public in China. Before gaokao in 2014, some provincial education authorities released a new policy stipulating that gaokao applicants may receive 10 to 20 extra points if they have ＂excellent morality＂ or have records of helping others for a just cause.展开更多
In the world, most of the successes are results of longterm efforts. The reward of success is extremely high, but before that, a long-term investment process is required. People who are “myopic” only value short-ter...In the world, most of the successes are results of longterm efforts. The reward of success is extremely high, but before that, a long-term investment process is required. People who are “myopic” only value short-term rewards and are unwilling to make early-stage investments, so they hardly get the ultimate success and the corresponding high rewards. Similarly, for a reinforcement learning(RL) model with long-delay rewards, the discount rate determines the strength of agent’s “farsightedness”.In order to enable the trained agent to make a chain of correct choices and succeed finally, the feasible region of the discount rate is obtained through mathematical derivation in this paper firstly. It satisfies the “farsightedness” requirement of agent. Afterwards, in order to avoid the complicated problem of solving implicit equations in the process of choosing feasible solutions,a simple method is explored and verified by theoreti cal demonstration and mathematical experiments. Then, a series of RL experiments are designed and implemented to verify the validity of theory. Finally, the model is extended from the finite process to the infinite process. The validity of the extended model is verified by theories and experiments. The whole research not only reveals the significance of the discount rate, but also provides a theoretical basis as well as a practical method for the choice of discount rate in future researches.展开更多
Employee performance is widely regarded as a cornerstone of organizational success,and in fast-changing industries it becomes even more critical.China’s electric vehicle(EV)sector exemplifies this challenge,where rap...Employee performance is widely regarded as a cornerstone of organizational success,and in fast-changing industries it becomes even more critical.China’s electric vehicle(EV)sector exemplifies this challenge,where rapid innovation and intense competition require companies to motivate employees for both immediate efficiency and long-term commitment.This study explores how extrinsic rewards include bonuses,gifts,promotions,benefits,and intrinsic rewards,including recognition,career development,learning opportunities,and responsibility,influence task and contextual performance.A quantitative design was employed,using survey data and statistical analyses to test the proposed framework.The findings show that both extrinsic and intrinsic rewards significantly enhance performance but operate differently.Extrinsic rewards are more closely linked to short-term improvements,while intrinsic rewards foster deeper engagement and sustained contributions.By combining Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory and Self-Determination Theory,the study demonstrates that effective reward systems must balance financial incentives with psychological motivators.The results provide theoretical contributions and practical guidance for managers seeking to strengthen motivation,build resilience,and promote sustainable performance.展开更多
This paper investigates the Borel state space semi-Markov decision process (SMDP) with the criterion of expected total rewards in a semi-Markov environment. It describes a system which behaves like a SMDP except that ...This paper investigates the Borel state space semi-Markov decision process (SMDP) with the criterion of expected total rewards in a semi-Markov environment. It describes a system which behaves like a SMDP except that the system is influenced by its environment modeled by a semi-Markov process. We transform the SMDP in a semiMarkov environment into an equivalent discrete time Markov decision process under the condition that rewards are all positive or all negative, and obtain the optimality equation and some properties for it.展开更多
Early life stress correlates with a higher prevalence of neurological disorders,including autism,attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder,schizophrenia,depression,and Parkinson's disease.These conditions,primarily...Early life stress correlates with a higher prevalence of neurological disorders,including autism,attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder,schizophrenia,depression,and Parkinson's disease.These conditions,primarily involving abnormal development and damage of the dopaminergic system,pose significant public health challenges.Microglia,as the primary immune cells in the brain,are crucial in regulating neuronal circuit development and survival.From the embryonic stage to adulthood,microglia exhibit stage-specific gene expression profiles,transcriptome characteristics,and functional phenotypes,enhancing the susceptibility to early life stress.However,the role of microglia in mediating dopaminergic system disorders under early life stress conditions remains poorly understood.This review presents an up-to-date overview of preclinical studies elucidating the impact of early life stress on microglia,leading to dopaminergic system disorders,along with the underlying mechanisms and therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental conditions.Impaired microglial activity damages dopaminergic neurons by diminishing neurotrophic support(e.g.,insulin-like growth factor-1)and hinders dopaminergic axon growth through defective phagocytosis and synaptic pruning.Furthermore,blunted microglial immunoreactivity suppresses striatal dopaminergic circuit development and reduces neuronal transmission.Furthermore,inflammation and oxidative stress induced by activated microglia can directly damage dopaminergic neurons,inhibiting dopamine synthesis,reuptake,and receptor activity.Enhanced microglial phagocytosis inhibits dopamine axon extension.These long-lasting effects of microglial perturbations may be driven by early life stress–induced epigenetic reprogramming of microglia.Indirectly,early life stress may influence microglial function through various pathways,such as astrocytic activation,the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis,the gut–brain axis,and maternal immune signaling.Finally,various therapeutic strategies and molecular mechanisms for targeting microglia to restore the dopaminergic system were summarized and discussed.These strategies include classical antidepressants and antipsychotics,antibiotics and anti-inflammatory agents,and herbal-derived medicine.Further investigations combining pharmacological interventions and genetic strategies are essential to elucidate the causal role of microglial phenotypic and functional perturbations in the dopaminergic system disrupted by early life stress.展开更多
China’s determination to be more innovative sparks a debate on how to reform the state’s incentive system On July 7, the National Office for Science and
A series of animal models are used to investigate the anti-depression mechanism of flavonoids in scutellariae radix （SR） in vivo. Depression-like behavior in mice was studied after intraperitoneal administra- tion o...A series of animal models are used to investigate the anti-depression mechanism of flavonoids in scutellariae radix （SR） in vivo. Depression-like behavior in mice was studied after intraperitoneal administra- tion of SR. The results showed that SR administered to mice by the intraperitoneal route obviously short- ened the duration in the tail suspension test and the forced swimming test, aggravated the symptoms of eyelid ptosis, akinesia, and mortality caused by reserpine, prolonged climbing times, affected the condi- tioned place preference, and increased sugar consumption in mice. However the SR did not affect the head twitches induced by 5-HTP, locomotor activity in mice, the toxicity of yohimbine, and the body temperature decrease caused by high dosage of apomorphine. The tests show that SR has some anti-depression effect related to the dopamine system. Furthermore another anti-depression mechanism was possible that could affect the mechanism of brain reward, bring positive reinforcement, and increase the sensitivity to euphoria in mice.展开更多
The concept of reward is fundamental in reinforcement learning with a wide range of applications in natural and social sciences.Seeking an interpretable reward for decision-making that largely shapes the system's ...The concept of reward is fundamental in reinforcement learning with a wide range of applications in natural and social sciences.Seeking an interpretable reward for decision-making that largely shapes the system's behavior has always been a challenge in reinforcement learning.In this work,we explore a discrete-time reward for reinforcement learning in continuous time and action spaces that represent many phenomena captured by applying physical laws.We find that the discrete-time reward leads to the extraction of the unique continuous-time decision law and improved computational efficiency by dropping the integrator operator that appears in classical results with integral rewards.We apply this finding to solve output-feedback design problems in power systems.The results reveal that our approach removes an intermediate stage of identifying dynamical models.Our work suggests that the discrete-time reward is efficient in search of the desired decision law,which provides a computational tool to understand and modify the behavior of large-scale engineering systems using the optimal learned decision.展开更多
In a multi-stage manufacturing system,defective components are generated due to deteriorating machine parts and failure to install the feed load.In these circumstances,the system requires inspection counters to distin...In a multi-stage manufacturing system,defective components are generated due to deteriorating machine parts and failure to install the feed load.In these circumstances,the system requires inspection counters to distinguish imperfect items and takes a few discreet decisions to produce impeccable items.Whereas the prioritisation of employee appreciation and working on reward is one of the important policies to improve productivity.Here we look at the multistage manufacturing system as an M/PH/1 queue model and rewards are given for using certain inspection strategies to produce the quality items.A matrix analytical method is proposed to explain a continuous-time Markov process in which the reward points are given to the strategy of inspection in each state of the system.By constructing the value functions of this dynamic programming model,we derive the optimal policy and the optimal average reward of the entire system in the long run.In addition,we obtain the percentage of time spent on each system state for the probability of conformity and non-conformity of the product over the long term.The results of our computational experiments and case study suggest that the average reward increases due to the actions are taken at each decision epoch for rework and disposal of the non-conformity items.展开更多
Robot navigation in complex crowd service scenarios,such as medical logistics and commercial guidance,requires a dynamic balance between safety and efficiency,while the traditional fixed reward mechanism lacks environ...Robot navigation in complex crowd service scenarios,such as medical logistics and commercial guidance,requires a dynamic balance between safety and efficiency,while the traditional fixed reward mechanism lacks environmental adaptability and struggles to adapt to the variability of crowd density and pedestrian motion patterns.This paper proposes a navigation method that integrates spatiotemporal risk field modeling and adaptive reward optimization,aiming to improve the robot’s decision-making ability in diverse crowd scenarios through dynamic risk assessment and nonlinear weight adjustment.We construct a spatiotemporal risk field model based on a Gaussian kernel function by combining crowd density,relative distance,andmotion speed to quantify environmental complexity and realize crowd-density-sensitive risk assessment dynamically.We apply an exponential decay function to reward design to address the linear conflict problem of fixed weights in multi-objective optimization.We adaptively adjust weight allocation between safety constraints and navigation efficiency based on real-time risk values,prioritizing safety in highly dense areas and navigation efficiency in sparse areas.Experimental results show that our method improves the navigation success rate by 9.0%over state-of-the-art models in high-density scenarios,with a 10.7%reduction in intrusion time ratio.Simulation comparisons validate the risk field model’s ability to capture risk superposition effects in dense scenarios and the suppression of near-field dangerous behaviors by the exponential decay mechanism.Our parametric optimization paradigm establishes an explicit mapping between navigation objectives and risk parameters through rigorous mathematical formalization,providing an interpretable approach for safe deployment of service robots in dynamic environments.展开更多
BACKGROUND Anhedonia,a hallmark symptom of major depressive disorder(MDD),is often resistant to common antidepressants.Preliminary evidence indicates that Pedio-coccus acidilactici(P.acidilactici)CCFM6432 may offer po...BACKGROUND Anhedonia,a hallmark symptom of major depressive disorder(MDD),is often resistant to common antidepressants.Preliminary evidence indicates that Pedio-coccus acidilactici(P.acidilactici)CCFM6432 may offer potential benefits in ame-liorating this symptomatology in patients with MDD.AIM To further assess the efficacy of P.acidilactici CCFM6432 in alleviating anhedonia in patients with MDD,using a combination of objective and subjective assessment tools.METHODS Adult patients with MDD exhibiting anhedonic symptoms were enrolled and randomly assigned to two treatment groups:One receiving standard antide-pressant therapy plus P.acidilactici CCFM6432,and the other receiving standard antidepressant treatment along with a placebo,for 30 days.Assessments were conducted at baseline and post-intervention using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale(HAMD),Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale(TEPS),and synchronous electroencephalography(EEG)during a"Doors Guessing Task."Changes in both clinical outcomes and EEG biomarkers,specifically the stimulus-preceding negativity(SPN)and feedback-related nega-tivity amplitudes,were analyzed.RESULTS Of the 92 screened participants,71 were enrolled and 55 completed the study(CCFM6432 group:n=27;Placebo group:n=28).No baseline differences were noted between the groups in terms of demographics,clinical assessments,or EEG metrics.A mixed-design analysis of variance revealed that the CCFM6432 group showed significantly greater improvements in both HAMD and TEPS scores compared to the Placebo group.Moreover,the CCFM6432 group demonstrated a significant increase in SPN amplitudes,which were inversely correlated with the improvements observed in HAMD scores.No such changes were observed in the Placebo group.CONCLUSION Adjunctive administration of P.acidilactici CCFM6432 not only augments the therapeutic efficacy of antide-pressants but also significantly ameliorates the symptoms of anhedonia in MDD.展开更多
文摘There is no question that learning a foreign language like English is different from learning other subjects, mainly because it is new to us Chinese and there is no enough environment. But that doesn’t mean we have no way to learn it and do it well .If asked to identify the most powerful influences on learning, motivation would probably be high on most teachers’ and learners’ lists. It seems only sensible to assume that English learning is most likely to occur when the learners want to learn. That is, when motivation such as interest, curiosity, or a desire achieves, the learners would be engaged in learning. However, how do we teachers motivate our students to like learning and learn well? Here, rewards both extrinsic and intrinsic are of great value and play a vital role in English learning.
文摘Traditionally, organizations assume that compensation/pay and monetary benefits are what all employees need to work harder, be productive, or remain with the company. According to Abraham Maslow, within every person is a hierarchy of five needs： physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs Organizations must be able to identify what employees desire to secure optimum performance and to meet the needs of both employees and employers. This research focuses on the generational gap and the significance of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards in the workforce. The purpose and objective of this research are to test the significance of monetary versus non-monetary rewards among the different generations in the organization. A self-designed questionnaire distributed to a multi-generational group of employees of selected organizations was used to collect the analyzed data. Sixty-five （65%） responses were obtained. Secondary data were used to elucidate the needs in this area of study. Because the workforce is predicted to become more diverse in terms of age, organizations will be unlikely to implement one set of rewards for the multiple generations. This is due to the differing expectations and requirements among the generations. However, the results indicate no significant difference in monetary versus non-monetary rewards among the different generations in the workforce.
文摘If extrinsic rewards will spark student engagement with tasks of limited intrinsic motivation, such as writing revision, we owe it to the principles of best practices to draw forth curiosity and passion by every means possible. Including motivational situations such as contests, rewards, and recognition events to spark engagement in low interest tasks may tempt initially indecisive students, while driving students who are willing participants to perform at a deeper level. To revitalize the valid use of external performance motivations, more teachers can promote strategic activities tying core academics to student-oriented gains.
基金sponsored by National Natural Science Fund of China (Grant No.71273183)Natioanl Project 985 of Sichuan University
文摘This paper aims to explore the impact of policy of giving rewards and subsidies(GRS) for grassland ecological conservation in Tibetan Plateau implemented by the Chinese government since 2009.Taking Gerze County in Ngari Prefecture in the Tibetan Autonomous Region(TAR) as an example,it discusses the objective,implementation and outcome of that policy with regard to the ecological reconstruction and problems that have ensured.Located in the northern part of the Qiangtang Plateau,Gerze is the largest county in Ngari Prefecture.It covers more than 7.8 million acres of pastureland,of which 6.2 million acres are usable for pastoralism; 3.4 million acres,however,lack water source.In recent decades,due to the increased population and other reasons,pastures of the area have shown signs of overgrazing,thus leading to serious degradation,desertification and salinization of the grassland.Since 2009,when neighboring Coqin County was chosen as a pilot site for the national ecological incentive and subsidy policy(or: ecological compensation policy),Gerze has also started to adopt this policy and brought ful implementation in 2010.Its purpose is to solve the problem of overgrazing.But like other policies carried out in Gerze,its implementation is faced with many challenges.First,it is difficult to define the types and scopes of the incentives and subsidies,which have become a major source of complaints of the local herdsmen.Second,the local herdsmen are also concerned with the fairness of assigning rewards and subsidies.Third,the high cost of the policy's implementation and supervision reduces its effects.Fourth,the fact that the herdsmen are not willing to reduce livestock population makes it difficult for the policy to achieve actual results.The author thinks it's necessary to revise and improve the current ecological incentive and subsidy policy.
文摘Gao Pingyuan has seen new hopes of a new life after serving his terms for 12 years at the Yudong Prison in central China＇s Henan Province. He got the special class award for his accomplished teaching in prison.
文摘New rules for this year＇s national college entrance examination, or gaokao in Mandarin, which takes place from June 7 to 9 every year, sparked heated debate among the public in China. Before gaokao in 2014, some provincial education authorities released a new policy stipulating that gaokao applicants may receive 10 to 20 extra points if they have ＂excellent morality＂ or have records of helping others for a just cause.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (717712167170120972001214)。
文摘In the world, most of the successes are results of longterm efforts. The reward of success is extremely high, but before that, a long-term investment process is required. People who are “myopic” only value short-term rewards and are unwilling to make early-stage investments, so they hardly get the ultimate success and the corresponding high rewards. Similarly, for a reinforcement learning(RL) model with long-delay rewards, the discount rate determines the strength of agent’s “farsightedness”.In order to enable the trained agent to make a chain of correct choices and succeed finally, the feasible region of the discount rate is obtained through mathematical derivation in this paper firstly. It satisfies the “farsightedness” requirement of agent. Afterwards, in order to avoid the complicated problem of solving implicit equations in the process of choosing feasible solutions,a simple method is explored and verified by theoreti cal demonstration and mathematical experiments. Then, a series of RL experiments are designed and implemented to verify the validity of theory. Finally, the model is extended from the finite process to the infinite process. The validity of the extended model is verified by theories and experiments. The whole research not only reveals the significance of the discount rate, but also provides a theoretical basis as well as a practical method for the choice of discount rate in future researches.
文摘Employee performance is widely regarded as a cornerstone of organizational success,and in fast-changing industries it becomes even more critical.China’s electric vehicle(EV)sector exemplifies this challenge,where rapid innovation and intense competition require companies to motivate employees for both immediate efficiency and long-term commitment.This study explores how extrinsic rewards include bonuses,gifts,promotions,benefits,and intrinsic rewards,including recognition,career development,learning opportunities,and responsibility,influence task and contextual performance.A quantitative design was employed,using survey data and statistical analyses to test the proposed framework.The findings show that both extrinsic and intrinsic rewards significantly enhance performance but operate differently.Extrinsic rewards are more closely linked to short-term improvements,while intrinsic rewards foster deeper engagement and sustained contributions.By combining Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory and Self-Determination Theory,the study demonstrates that effective reward systems must balance financial incentives with psychological motivators.The results provide theoretical contributions and practical guidance for managers seeking to strengthen motivation,build resilience,and promote sustainable performance.
文摘This paper investigates the Borel state space semi-Markov decision process (SMDP) with the criterion of expected total rewards in a semi-Markov environment. It describes a system which behaves like a SMDP except that the system is influenced by its environment modeled by a semi-Markov process. We transform the SMDP in a semiMarkov environment into an equivalent discrete time Markov decision process under the condition that rewards are all positive or all negative, and obtain the optimality equation and some properties for it.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.82304990(to NY),81973748(to JC),82174278(to JC)the National Key R&D Program of China,No.2023YFE0209500(to JC)+4 种基金China Postdoctoral Science Foundation,No.2023M732380(to NY)Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Formula-Pattern of Traditional Chinese Medicine,No.202102010014(to JC)Huang Zhendong Research Fund for Traditional Chinese Medicine of Jinan University,No.201911(to JC)National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program for Undergraduates in China,No.202310559128(to NY and QM)Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program for Undergraduates at Jinan University,Nos.CX24380,CX24381(both to NY and QM)。
文摘Early life stress correlates with a higher prevalence of neurological disorders,including autism,attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder,schizophrenia,depression,and Parkinson's disease.These conditions,primarily involving abnormal development and damage of the dopaminergic system,pose significant public health challenges.Microglia,as the primary immune cells in the brain,are crucial in regulating neuronal circuit development and survival.From the embryonic stage to adulthood,microglia exhibit stage-specific gene expression profiles,transcriptome characteristics,and functional phenotypes,enhancing the susceptibility to early life stress.However,the role of microglia in mediating dopaminergic system disorders under early life stress conditions remains poorly understood.This review presents an up-to-date overview of preclinical studies elucidating the impact of early life stress on microglia,leading to dopaminergic system disorders,along with the underlying mechanisms and therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental conditions.Impaired microglial activity damages dopaminergic neurons by diminishing neurotrophic support(e.g.,insulin-like growth factor-1)and hinders dopaminergic axon growth through defective phagocytosis and synaptic pruning.Furthermore,blunted microglial immunoreactivity suppresses striatal dopaminergic circuit development and reduces neuronal transmission.Furthermore,inflammation and oxidative stress induced by activated microglia can directly damage dopaminergic neurons,inhibiting dopamine synthesis,reuptake,and receptor activity.Enhanced microglial phagocytosis inhibits dopamine axon extension.These long-lasting effects of microglial perturbations may be driven by early life stress–induced epigenetic reprogramming of microglia.Indirectly,early life stress may influence microglial function through various pathways,such as astrocytic activation,the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis,the gut–brain axis,and maternal immune signaling.Finally,various therapeutic strategies and molecular mechanisms for targeting microglia to restore the dopaminergic system were summarized and discussed.These strategies include classical antidepressants and antipsychotics,antibiotics and anti-inflammatory agents,and herbal-derived medicine.Further investigations combining pharmacological interventions and genetic strategies are essential to elucidate the causal role of microglial phenotypic and functional perturbations in the dopaminergic system disrupted by early life stress.
文摘China’s determination to be more innovative sparks a debate on how to reform the state’s incentive system On July 7, the National Office for Science and
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos. 90713043, 30801523, and 30973896)the Key Technologies Research and Development Program of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan of China (Nos. 2006BAI08B03-09 and 2006BAI14B05)China’s Post-doctoral Science Fund (No. 20080440418)
文摘A series of animal models are used to investigate the anti-depression mechanism of flavonoids in scutellariae radix （SR） in vivo. Depression-like behavior in mice was studied after intraperitoneal administra- tion of SR. The results showed that SR administered to mice by the intraperitoneal route obviously short- ened the duration in the tail suspension test and the forced swimming test, aggravated the symptoms of eyelid ptosis, akinesia, and mortality caused by reserpine, prolonged climbing times, affected the condi- tioned place preference, and increased sugar consumption in mice. However the SR did not affect the head twitches induced by 5-HTP, locomotor activity in mice, the toxicity of yohimbine, and the body temperature decrease caused by high dosage of apomorphine. The tests show that SR has some anti-depression effect related to the dopamine system. Furthermore another anti-depression mechanism was possible that could affect the mechanism of brain reward, bring positive reinforcement, and increase the sensitivity to euphoria in mice.
基金supported by the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(2024A1515011936)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(62320106008)
文摘The concept of reward is fundamental in reinforcement learning with a wide range of applications in natural and social sciences.Seeking an interpretable reward for decision-making that largely shapes the system's behavior has always been a challenge in reinforcement learning.In this work,we explore a discrete-time reward for reinforcement learning in continuous time and action spaces that represent many phenomena captured by applying physical laws.We find that the discrete-time reward leads to the extraction of the unique continuous-time decision law and improved computational efficiency by dropping the integrator operator that appears in classical results with integral rewards.We apply this finding to solve output-feedback design problems in power systems.The results reveal that our approach removes an intermediate stage of identifying dynamical models.Our work suggests that the discrete-time reward is efficient in search of the desired decision law,which provides a computational tool to understand and modify the behavior of large-scale engineering systems using the optimal learned decision.
文摘In a multi-stage manufacturing system,defective components are generated due to deteriorating machine parts and failure to install the feed load.In these circumstances,the system requires inspection counters to distinguish imperfect items and takes a few discreet decisions to produce impeccable items.Whereas the prioritisation of employee appreciation and working on reward is one of the important policies to improve productivity.Here we look at the multistage manufacturing system as an M/PH/1 queue model and rewards are given for using certain inspection strategies to produce the quality items.A matrix analytical method is proposed to explain a continuous-time Markov process in which the reward points are given to the strategy of inspection in each state of the system.By constructing the value functions of this dynamic programming model,we derive the optimal policy and the optimal average reward of the entire system in the long run.In addition,we obtain the percentage of time spent on each system state for the probability of conformity and non-conformity of the product over the long term.The results of our computational experiments and case study suggest that the average reward increases due to the actions are taken at each decision epoch for rework and disposal of the non-conformity items.
基金supported by the Sichuan Science and Technology Program(2025ZNSFSC0005).
文摘Robot navigation in complex crowd service scenarios,such as medical logistics and commercial guidance,requires a dynamic balance between safety and efficiency,while the traditional fixed reward mechanism lacks environmental adaptability and struggles to adapt to the variability of crowd density and pedestrian motion patterns.This paper proposes a navigation method that integrates spatiotemporal risk field modeling and adaptive reward optimization,aiming to improve the robot’s decision-making ability in diverse crowd scenarios through dynamic risk assessment and nonlinear weight adjustment.We construct a spatiotemporal risk field model based on a Gaussian kernel function by combining crowd density,relative distance,andmotion speed to quantify environmental complexity and realize crowd-density-sensitive risk assessment dynamically.We apply an exponential decay function to reward design to address the linear conflict problem of fixed weights in multi-objective optimization.We adaptively adjust weight allocation between safety constraints and navigation efficiency based on real-time risk values,prioritizing safety in highly dense areas and navigation efficiency in sparse areas.Experimental results show that our method improves the navigation success rate by 9.0%over state-of-the-art models in high-density scenarios,with a 10.7%reduction in intrusion time ratio.Simulation comparisons validate the risk field model’s ability to capture risk superposition effects in dense scenarios and the suppression of near-field dangerous behaviors by the exponential decay mechanism.Our parametric optimization paradigm establishes an explicit mapping between navigation objectives and risk parameters through rigorous mathematical formalization,providing an interpretable approach for safe deployment of service robots in dynamic environments.
基金Supported by the Top Talent Support Program for Young and Middle-aged People of Wuxi Health Committee,No.BJ2023086Wuxi Taihu Talent Project,No.WXTTP 2021.
文摘BACKGROUND Anhedonia,a hallmark symptom of major depressive disorder(MDD),is often resistant to common antidepressants.Preliminary evidence indicates that Pedio-coccus acidilactici(P.acidilactici)CCFM6432 may offer potential benefits in ame-liorating this symptomatology in patients with MDD.AIM To further assess the efficacy of P.acidilactici CCFM6432 in alleviating anhedonia in patients with MDD,using a combination of objective and subjective assessment tools.METHODS Adult patients with MDD exhibiting anhedonic symptoms were enrolled and randomly assigned to two treatment groups:One receiving standard antide-pressant therapy plus P.acidilactici CCFM6432,and the other receiving standard antidepressant treatment along with a placebo,for 30 days.Assessments were conducted at baseline and post-intervention using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale(HAMD),Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale(TEPS),and synchronous electroencephalography(EEG)during a"Doors Guessing Task."Changes in both clinical outcomes and EEG biomarkers,specifically the stimulus-preceding negativity(SPN)and feedback-related nega-tivity amplitudes,were analyzed.RESULTS Of the 92 screened participants,71 were enrolled and 55 completed the study(CCFM6432 group:n=27;Placebo group:n=28).No baseline differences were noted between the groups in terms of demographics,clinical assessments,or EEG metrics.A mixed-design analysis of variance revealed that the CCFM6432 group showed significantly greater improvements in both HAMD and TEPS scores compared to the Placebo group.Moreover,the CCFM6432 group demonstrated a significant increase in SPN amplitudes,which were inversely correlated with the improvements observed in HAMD scores.No such changes were observed in the Placebo group.CONCLUSION Adjunctive administration of P.acidilactici CCFM6432 not only augments the therapeutic efficacy of antide-pressants but also significantly ameliorates the symptoms of anhedonia in MDD.
