This paper investigates the effect of adding three extensions to Central Force Optimization when it is used as the Global Search and Optimization method for the design and optimization of 6-elementYagi-Uda arrays. Tho...This paper investigates the effect of adding three extensions to Central Force Optimization when it is used as the Global Search and Optimization method for the design and optimization of 6-elementYagi-Uda arrays. Those exten</span><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">sions are </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Negative</span></i> <i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Gravity</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Elitism</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, and </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Dynamic</span></i> <i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Threshold</span></i> <i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Optimization</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. T</span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">he basic CFO heuristic does not include any of these, but adding them substan</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">tially improves the algorithm’s performance. This paper extends the work r</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">eported in a previous paper that considered only negative gravity and which </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">showed a significant performance improvement over a range of optimized a</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">rrays. Still better results are obtained by adding to the mix </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Elitism</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> and </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">DTO</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. An overall improvement in best fitness of 19.16% is achieved by doing so. While the work reported here was limited to the design/optimization of 6-</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">element Yagis, the reasonable inference based on these data is that any antenna design/optimization problem, indeed any Global Search and Optimiza</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">tion problem, antenna or not, utilizing Central Force Optimization as the Gl</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">obal Search and Optimization engine will benefit by including all three extensions, probably substantially.展开更多
China's Northern and Southern Dynasties period(3rd–6th centuries AD)marked a significant era of ethnic integration in northern China.However,previous ancient DNA studies have primarily focused on northern ethnic ...China's Northern and Southern Dynasties period(3rd–6th centuries AD)marked a significant era of ethnic integration in northern China.However,previous ancient DNA studies have primarily focused on northern ethnic groups,with limited research on the genetic formation of the hereditary elite family,especially considering their abundant archaeological record and clear material identity.In this study,we obtain the ancient genome of a hereditary elite family,Gao Bin(高宾,503 AD–572 AD),at 0.6473-fold coverage with 475,132 single-nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)on the 1240k panel.His mitochondrial haplogroup belongs to Z4 and Y-haplogroup to O1a1a2b-F2444∗.The genetic profile of Gao Bin is most similar to that of the northern Han Chinese.He can be modeled as deriving all his ancestry from Late Neolithic to Iron Age Yellow River farmers without influence from Northeast Asia,Korea,or the Mongolian Plateau.Our study sheds light on the genetic formation of hereditary elite families in the context of the Southern and Northern Dynasties ethnic integration.展开更多
This article tries to explain elitism in China＇s governmental decision making. Our model shows that the governments＇ expected utility increases with a bureaucrat＇s ability to make decisions under the flexible frame...This article tries to explain elitism in China＇s governmental decision making. Our model shows that the governments＇ expected utility increases with a bureaucrat＇s ability to make decisions under the flexible framework of delegation and communication （with separated reporting strategy）. In the early of 1950s, China＇s government choose a flexible decision making framework in order to efficiently manage many affairs in a complex environment. This initial choice started the process of a self-reinforcing demand for ability inside of the flexible decision making framework. With the current reforms of streamlining administrations and retreating from the market, the elitism of China＇s government might reverse.展开更多
Purpose:This study analyzes the profiles of elite Brazilian researchers,recognized through the prestigious CNPq productivity scholarships.By identifying distinct researcher clusters,the study sheds light on different ...Purpose:This study analyzes the profiles of elite Brazilian researchers,recognized through the prestigious CNPq productivity scholarships.By identifying distinct researcher clusters,the study sheds light on different academic strategies,levels of productivity,and academic contributions within the Brazilian higher education system.Design/methodology/approach:The research analyzes a comprehensive dataset of 14,003 researchers,employing principal component analysis(PCA)followed by cluster analysis to group researchers based on their academic attributes.The clusters reflect diverse aspects of research productivity,graduate supervisions,and publication patterns.Findings:The analysis reveals the existence of three distinct researcher profiles(the Advanced Supervisors,the Book Publishers/Organizers,and the Generalists).The study also highlights the characteristics of highcaliber scientists,representing the upper echelon of Brazilian researchers in terms of productivity and impact.Research limitations:Although the study provides a robust analysis of the Brazilian system,the results reflect specific characteristics of the Brazilian academic context.Furthermore,the analysis was restricted to normalized annual data,which may overlook temporal variations in researcher productivity.Pratical implications:The findings provide valuable insights for policy makers,funding agencies(such as CNPq),and university administrators who aim to develop tailored support programs for different researcher profiles.Originality/value:The cluster-based profiling offers a novel perspective on how different academic trajectories coexist within a national science system,offering lessons for other emerging economies.展开更多
On a sunny December day in Addis Ababa,the Ethiopian capital,amateur runners and professional athletes eagerly took part in the 2024 China-Ethiopia Friendship Relay Race.The event aimed to bolster bilateral relations,...On a sunny December day in Addis Ababa,the Ethiopian capital,amateur runners and professional athletes eagerly took part in the 2024 China-Ethiopia Friendship Relay Race.The event aimed to bolster bilateral relations,raise road safety awareness,and encourage healthy lifestyles.The race was sponsored by the Chinese construction giant China Communications Construction Co.Ltd.(CCCC),in collaboration with local partners.The competition,held on 15 December 2024,featured a 12-km course for elite athletes and a six-km route for amateurs,both held on the newly built KK&KT Expressway in eastern Addis Ababa.展开更多
A later heading date generally leads to higher grain yield in favorable ecological regions;however,grain yield reaches a limit as the heading date exceeds a certain threshold.Ghd7 is the first cloned major gene that r...A later heading date generally leads to higher grain yield in favorable ecological regions;however,grain yield reaches a limit as the heading date exceeds a certain threshold.Ghd7 is the first cloned major gene that regulates heading date,plant height and grain number.Here,we investigated the relationship between Ghd7 and florigen genes Hd3a and RFT1,to determine their roles in regulating heading date and grain number under different photoperiods.Our results revealed that under long-day(LD)conditions,Hd3a acts prior to RFT1 to promote heading while negatively regulating plant height and grain number.In contrast,Ghd7 positively regulates heading date,plant height,and grain number by inhibiting both Hd3a and RFT1.Under short-day(SD)conditions,the functions of Hd3a and RFT1 remain consistent with those under LD conditions,but Ghd7 does not inhibit their expression,resulting in a weaker phenotypic effect compared to Hd3a.Additionally,under both LD and SD conditions,increased Ghd7 expression enhances its inhibitory effect on Hd3a and RFT1,leading to later heading and increased grain number;however,once the heading date exceeds 94 d,grain number no longer increases.Moreover,the gn1a allele increased grain number by 16.5%to 42.5%,while combinations of the elite alleles from Ghd7,Hd3a,RFT1,and Gn1a significantly increased grain number by up to 240.9%.Therefore,we propose a new breeding strategy to optimize the heading date and grain number using the Ghd7Hd3aRFT1gn1a combination of Ghd7,Hd3a,RFT1,and Gn1a under LD conditions,and the Ghd7hd3aRFT1gn1a combination under SD conditions.This strategy improved the yield of the high-quality Northeast variety Kongyu 131(KY131)by 69.1%in Beijing and 93.7%in Hainan.This strategy will greatly improve the efficiency of north-to-south adaptation in rice,providing theoretical guidance for expanding the geographical adaptability of rice varieties.展开更多
It is evident that complex optimization problems are becoming increasingly prominent,metaheuristic algorithms have demonstrated unique advantages in solving high-dimensional,nonlinear problems.However,the traditional ...It is evident that complex optimization problems are becoming increasingly prominent,metaheuristic algorithms have demonstrated unique advantages in solving high-dimensional,nonlinear problems.However,the traditional Sparrow Search Algorithm(SSA)suffers from limited global search capability,insufficient population diversity,and slow convergence,which often leads to premature stagnation in local optima.Despite the proposal of various enhanced versions,the effective balancing of exploration and exploitation remains an unsolved challenge.To address the previously mentioned problems,this study proposes a multi-strategy collaborative improved SSA,which systematically integrates four complementary strategies:(1)the Northern Goshawk Optimization(NGO)mechanism enhances global exploration through guided prey-attacking dynamics;(2)an adaptive t-distribution mutation strategy balances the transition between exploration and exploitation via dynamic adjustment of the degrees of freedom;(3)a dual chaotic initialization method(Bernoulli and Sinusoidal maps)increases population diversity and distribution uniformity;and(4)an elite retention strategy maintains solution quality and prevents degradation during iterations.These strategies cooperate synergistically,forming a tightly coupled optimization framework that significantly improves search efficiency and robustness.Therefore,this paper names it NTSSA:A Novel Multi-Strategy Enhanced Sparrow Search Algorithm with Northern Goshawk Optimization and Adaptive t-Distribution for Global Optimization.Extensive experiments on the CEC2005 benchmark set demonstrate that NTSSA achieves theoretical optimal accuracy on unimodal functions and significantly enhances global optimum discovery for multimodal functions by 2–5 orders of magnitude.Compared with SSA,GWO,ISSA,and CSSOA,NTSSA improves solution accuracy by up to 14.3%(F8)and 99.8%(F12),while accelerating convergence by approximately 1.5–2×.The Wilcoxon rank-sum test(p<0.05)indicates that NTSSA demonstrates a statistically substantial performance advantage.Theoretical analysis demonstrates that the collaborative synergy among adaptive mutation,chaos-based diversification,and elite preservation ensures both high convergence accuracy and global stability.This work bridges a key research gap in SSA by realizing a coordinated optimization mechanism between exploration and exploitation,offering a robust and efficient solution framework for complex high-dimensional problems in intelligent computation and engineering design.展开更多
Objectives:In this study,we examined the psychological impact of hierarchical and authoritarian structures in elite sports teams in South Korea on the ego formation and mental health of athletes.We aimed to analyze ho...Objectives:In this study,we examined the psychological impact of hierarchical and authoritarian structures in elite sports teams in South Korea on the ego formation and mental health of athletes.We aimed to analyze how these environments shape psychological well-being in athletes,drawing on Freud’s group psychology theory,while integrating perspectives from the Self-DeterminationTheory(SDT)and Social Identity Theory(SIT).Methods:We applied a qualitative case-study approach,with data collected through in-depth interviews with eight retired elite table tennis players from South Korea.These athletes shared their experiences with psychological mechanisms in their teams and how those mechanisms impacted their mental health throughout their careers.We analyzed the collected data using thematic analysis.Results:The investigated psychological mechanisms significantly influenced the ego development and psychological well-being in athletes.In hierarchical and authoritarian environments,identification and ego idealization suppressed the autonomy of the athletes.Hierarchical order and obedience to authority figures exert significant pressure on athletes to conform,impeding the development of an independent ego.Furthermore,group pressure exacerbates ego erosion and psychological stress,while corporal punishment reinforces psychological pressure and hinders ego integrity.The integration of the SDT highlights the need for autonomy-supportive environments to mitigate such risks,while the SIT emphasizes balancing individual identity with group cohesion to address identity conflicts and psychological tension.Conclusion:Hierarchical structures and authoritarian dynamics in South Korean elite sports teams critically suppress autonomy in athletes,leading to psychological distress and identity conflicts.This study highlights the urgent need for systemic interventions to reform coaching practices and foster autonomysupportive environments.These results contribute to the global discourse on the mental health of athletes in elite sports and offer actionable strategies for improving long-term well-being.Finally,this study provides practical recommendations adaptable to diverse cultural and sporting contexts,enhancing athlete mental health worldwide.展开更多
This study attempts to accelerate the learning ability of an artificial electric field algorithm(AEFA)by attributing it with two mechanisms:elitism and opposition-based learning.Elitism advances the convergence of the...This study attempts to accelerate the learning ability of an artificial electric field algorithm(AEFA)by attributing it with two mechanisms:elitism and opposition-based learning.Elitism advances the convergence of the AEFA towards global optima by retaining the fine-tuned solutions obtained thus far,and opposition-based learning helps enhance its exploration ability.The new version of the AEFA,called elitist opposition leaning-based AEFA(EOAEFA),retains the properties of the basic AEFA while taking advantage of both elitism and opposition-based learning.Hence,the improved version attempts to reach optimum solutions by enabling the diversification of solutions with guaranteed convergence.Higher-order neural networks(HONNs)have single-layer adjustable parameters,fast learning,a robust fault tolerance,and good approximation ability compared with multilayer neural networks.They consider a higher order of input signals,increased the dimensionality of inputs through functional expansion and could thus discriminate between them.However,determining the number of expansion units in HONNs along with their associated parameters(i.e.,weight and threshold)is a bottleneck in the design of such networks.Here,we used EOAEFA to design two HONNs,namely,a pi-sigma neural network and a functional link artificial neural network,called EOAEFA-PSNN and EOAEFA-FLN,respectively,in a fully automated manner.The proposed models were evaluated on financial time-series datasets,focusing on predicting four closing prices,four exchange rates,and three energy prices.Experiments,comparative studies,and statistical tests were conducted to establish the efficacy of the proposed approach.展开更多
This paper aims to address the problem of multi-UAV cooperative search for multiple targets in a mountainous environment,considering the constraints of UAV dynamics and prior environmental information.Firstly,using th...This paper aims to address the problem of multi-UAV cooperative search for multiple targets in a mountainous environment,considering the constraints of UAV dynamics and prior environmental information.Firstly,using the target probability distribution map,two strategies of information fusion and information diffusion are employed to solve the problem of environmental information inconsistency caused by different UAVs searching different areas,thereby improving the coordination of UAV groups.Secondly,the task region is decomposed into several high-value sub-regions by using data clustering method.Based on this,a hierarchical search strategy is proposed,which allows precise or rough search in different probability areas by adjusting the altitude of the aircraft,thereby improving the search efficiency.Third,the Elite Dung Beetle Optimization Algorithm(EDBOA)is proposed based on bionics by accurately simulating the social behavior of dung beetles to plan paths that satisfy the UAV dynamics constraints and adapt to the mountainous terrain,where the mountain is considered as an obstacle to be avoided.Finally,the objective function for path optimization is formulated by considering factors such as coverage within the task region,smoothness of the search path,and path length.The effectiveness and superiority of the proposed schemes are verified by the simulation.展开更多
This study analyzed the difference between using a downward breaststroke kick and a horizontal breaststroke kick in a sample of world class elite swimmers.We compared average muscle activity of the gluteus maximus,qua...This study analyzed the difference between using a downward breaststroke kick and a horizontal breaststroke kick in a sample of world class elite swimmers.We compared average muscle activity of the gluteus maximus,quadriceps femoris(vastus medialis and rectus femoris),hamstring/long head of the biceps femoris,gastrocnemius medialis,rectus abdominal,and erector spinae when using the downward breaststroke kick technique.We find that when this sample of swimmers utilized the downward breaststroke kick,max speed and velocity per stroke increased,measured by 12,788 EMG samples,where the results are highly correlated to duration of the aerodynamic buoyant force in breaststroke kick technique.The increases in performance observed from measuring the world class elite swimmers is highly correlated to the duration of the kick aerodynamic buoyant force.Among this sample of elite swimmers,the longer a swimmer demonstrates a buoyant force breaststroke kick,the lower the time in a 100 breaststroke.展开更多
Dear Editor,We are writing to express concerns regarding the recent paper“A unique pseudo-eligibility analysis of longitudinal laboratory performance data from a transgender female competitive cyclist”by Hamilton et...Dear Editor,We are writing to express concerns regarding the recent paper“A unique pseudo-eligibility analysis of longitudinal laboratory performance data from a transgender female competitive cyclist”by Hamilton et al.[1].The authors assert that a sub-elite trans woman athlete can compete equitably in elite women’s cycling events after one year of gender-affirming hormone therapy(GAHT).However,this conclusion is not supported by the data presented.Furthermore,the authors’presentation of data from a single athlete as a basis for inferring the effects of testosterone suppression is fundamentally flawed.展开更多
Two-line hybrid rice with excellent quality is preferred in the Chinese market.However,there is a trade-off between reducing costs for hybrid seed production and lowering the outcrossing rate of the sterile line,which...Two-line hybrid rice with excellent quality is preferred in the Chinese market.However,there is a trade-off between reducing costs for hybrid seed production and lowering the outcrossing rate of the sterile line,which is largely determined by the stigma exsertion rate(SER).In this study,we constructed mutants of male sterility lines with improved grain length(GL)and SER in three elite early-season indica rice varieties through targeted manipulation of the TMS5 and GS3 genes using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated multiplex systems.We obtained a series of marker-free gs3 single mutants and gs3tms5 double mutants with significantly higher SER,longer grains,and increased 1000-grain weight compared with the wild type(WT).Importantly,the typically thermo-sensitive genic male sterile(TGMS)trait with a higher SER was observed in gs3tms5 mutants,and their F1 hybrids exhibited remarkable improvements in grain shape and yield-related traits.Our findings provided an efficient method to generate new valuable TGMS germplasm with improved SER through the mutagenesis of GS3 and TMS5 synergistically,and demonstrated that GS3 had pleiotropic effects on grain size,SER,and grain quality in early-season indica rice.展开更多
Many young elite athletes do not meet their daily energy and nutrient requirements. However, little research has been done on why these athletes do not meet their daily needs. The aim was to research the barriers and ...Many young elite athletes do not meet their daily energy and nutrient requirements. However, little research has been done on why these athletes do not meet their daily needs. The aim was to research the barriers and motivators of young Dutch elite athletes to optimize their nutritional intake. Quantitative and qualitative research was conducted among 8 handball and 4 volleyball players at the Dutch National Sports Center (17.2 ± 0.8 years). First, the nutritional intake was tracked through food diaries and analyzed in Nutritics. Thereupon, five semi-structured interviews based on the COM-B model were carried out. The interviews were transcribed and coded. The athletes had a reduced intake of energy, carbohydrates, vitamins A, C, E, D, calcium, potassium, zinc, and iron compared to their requirements. Seven themes for optimizing their nutritional intake emerged in the interviews: needs assessment, practical translation, portion size, lack of time, involvement, individuality, and food distribution. Barriers that the athletes experienced were that they did not know what their total daily nutritional needs were and how this translates into practice. In addition, the portion size at dinner was too small. They also had little time to eat a full meal due to time pressure from training and school. On the other hand, motivators were receiving meal options to translate their needs into practice with a distribution of moments when they need to eat. Covering these topics in nutritional workshops where athletes actively participate with more individual focus, could contribute to the optimization of their nutritional intake.展开更多
Indonesian Minister of Defence Prabowo Subianto won Indonesia’s presidential election in February 2024.Prabowo hails from an elite family that has served in many high positions in Indonesia.Having served in important...Indonesian Minister of Defence Prabowo Subianto won Indonesia’s presidential election in February 2024.Prabowo hails from an elite family that has served in many high positions in Indonesia.Having served in important positions in the military for a long time,he is very well connected with military and political circles.展开更多
文摘This paper investigates the effect of adding three extensions to Central Force Optimization when it is used as the Global Search and Optimization method for the design and optimization of 6-elementYagi-Uda arrays. Those exten</span><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">sions are </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Negative</span></i> <i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Gravity</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Elitism</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, and </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Dynamic</span></i> <i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Threshold</span></i> <i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Optimization</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. T</span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">he basic CFO heuristic does not include any of these, but adding them substan</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">tially improves the algorithm’s performance. This paper extends the work r</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">eported in a previous paper that considered only negative gravity and which </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">showed a significant performance improvement over a range of optimized a</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">rrays. Still better results are obtained by adding to the mix </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Elitism</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> and </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">DTO</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. An overall improvement in best fitness of 19.16% is achieved by doing so. While the work reported here was limited to the design/optimization of 6-</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">element Yagis, the reasonable inference based on these data is that any antenna design/optimization problem, indeed any Global Search and Optimiza</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">tion problem, antenna or not, utilizing Central Force Optimization as the Gl</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">obal Search and Optimization engine will benefit by including all three extensions, probably substantially.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32070576,31801040,and 32270667)Lantai Young Scholars Program of Chinese History Institute(2022LTQN602)+11 种基金the National Social Science Fund of China(19VJX074 and 21CKG022)Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences:Pan-Third Pole Environment Study for a Green Silk Road(Pan-TPE)(XDA2004010101)the National Key Research and Development Program(2023YFC3303701-02)the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province of China(2023J06013)the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(18490750300)the National Key Research and Development Program(2020YFE0201600)Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project(2017SHZDZX01)the Major Project of National Social Science Foundation of China granted to C.C.W.(21&ZD285),S.W.(20&ZD212),and D.L.(21&ZD237)Major Special Project of Philosophy and Social Sciences Research of the Ministry of Education(2022JZDZ023)Open Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at Fudan University(SKLGE-2310)Open Research Fund of Forensic Genetics Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Public Security(2023FGKFKT07)European Research Council(ERC)grant(ERC-2019-ADG-883700-TRAM).
文摘China's Northern and Southern Dynasties period(3rd–6th centuries AD)marked a significant era of ethnic integration in northern China.However,previous ancient DNA studies have primarily focused on northern ethnic groups,with limited research on the genetic formation of the hereditary elite family,especially considering their abundant archaeological record and clear material identity.In this study,we obtain the ancient genome of a hereditary elite family,Gao Bin(高宾,503 AD–572 AD),at 0.6473-fold coverage with 475,132 single-nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)on the 1240k panel.His mitochondrial haplogroup belongs to Z4 and Y-haplogroup to O1a1a2b-F2444∗.The genetic profile of Gao Bin is most similar to that of the northern Han Chinese.He can be modeled as deriving all his ancestry from Late Neolithic to Iron Age Yellow River farmers without influence from Northeast Asia,Korea,or the Mongolian Plateau.Our study sheds light on the genetic formation of hereditary elite families in the context of the Southern and Northern Dynasties ethnic integration.
文摘This article tries to explain elitism in China＇s governmental decision making. Our model shows that the governments＇ expected utility increases with a bureaucrat＇s ability to make decisions under the flexible framework of delegation and communication （with separated reporting strategy）. In the early of 1950s, China＇s government choose a flexible decision making framework in order to efficiently manage many affairs in a complex environment. This initial choice started the process of a self-reinforcing demand for ability inside of the flexible decision making framework. With the current reforms of streamlining administrations and retreating from the market, the elitism of China＇s government might reverse.
文摘Purpose:This study analyzes the profiles of elite Brazilian researchers,recognized through the prestigious CNPq productivity scholarships.By identifying distinct researcher clusters,the study sheds light on different academic strategies,levels of productivity,and academic contributions within the Brazilian higher education system.Design/methodology/approach:The research analyzes a comprehensive dataset of 14,003 researchers,employing principal component analysis(PCA)followed by cluster analysis to group researchers based on their academic attributes.The clusters reflect diverse aspects of research productivity,graduate supervisions,and publication patterns.Findings:The analysis reveals the existence of three distinct researcher profiles(the Advanced Supervisors,the Book Publishers/Organizers,and the Generalists).The study also highlights the characteristics of highcaliber scientists,representing the upper echelon of Brazilian researchers in terms of productivity and impact.Research limitations:Although the study provides a robust analysis of the Brazilian system,the results reflect specific characteristics of the Brazilian academic context.Furthermore,the analysis was restricted to normalized annual data,which may overlook temporal variations in researcher productivity.Pratical implications:The findings provide valuable insights for policy makers,funding agencies(such as CNPq),and university administrators who aim to develop tailored support programs for different researcher profiles.Originality/value:The cluster-based profiling offers a novel perspective on how different academic trajectories coexist within a national science system,offering lessons for other emerging economies.
文摘On a sunny December day in Addis Ababa,the Ethiopian capital,amateur runners and professional athletes eagerly took part in the 2024 China-Ethiopia Friendship Relay Race.The event aimed to bolster bilateral relations,raise road safety awareness,and encourage healthy lifestyles.The race was sponsored by the Chinese construction giant China Communications Construction Co.Ltd.(CCCC),in collaboration with local partners.The competition,held on 15 December 2024,featured a 12-km course for elite athletes and a six-km route for amateurs,both held on the newly built KK&KT Expressway in eastern Addis Ababa.
基金supported by grants from the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDA24010101)the Biological Breeding-National Science and Technology Major Project(2024ZD04077)+2 种基金the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2023YFF1001200)Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province(LD24C130001)the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program(ASTIP)of CAAS。
文摘A later heading date generally leads to higher grain yield in favorable ecological regions;however,grain yield reaches a limit as the heading date exceeds a certain threshold.Ghd7 is the first cloned major gene that regulates heading date,plant height and grain number.Here,we investigated the relationship between Ghd7 and florigen genes Hd3a and RFT1,to determine their roles in regulating heading date and grain number under different photoperiods.Our results revealed that under long-day(LD)conditions,Hd3a acts prior to RFT1 to promote heading while negatively regulating plant height and grain number.In contrast,Ghd7 positively regulates heading date,plant height,and grain number by inhibiting both Hd3a and RFT1.Under short-day(SD)conditions,the functions of Hd3a and RFT1 remain consistent with those under LD conditions,but Ghd7 does not inhibit their expression,resulting in a weaker phenotypic effect compared to Hd3a.Additionally,under both LD and SD conditions,increased Ghd7 expression enhances its inhibitory effect on Hd3a and RFT1,leading to later heading and increased grain number;however,once the heading date exceeds 94 d,grain number no longer increases.Moreover,the gn1a allele increased grain number by 16.5%to 42.5%,while combinations of the elite alleles from Ghd7,Hd3a,RFT1,and Gn1a significantly increased grain number by up to 240.9%.Therefore,we propose a new breeding strategy to optimize the heading date and grain number using the Ghd7Hd3aRFT1gn1a combination of Ghd7,Hd3a,RFT1,and Gn1a under LD conditions,and the Ghd7hd3aRFT1gn1a combination under SD conditions.This strategy improved the yield of the high-quality Northeast variety Kongyu 131(KY131)by 69.1%in Beijing and 93.7%in Hainan.This strategy will greatly improve the efficiency of north-to-south adaptation in rice,providing theoretical guidance for expanding the geographical adaptability of rice varieties.
文摘It is evident that complex optimization problems are becoming increasingly prominent,metaheuristic algorithms have demonstrated unique advantages in solving high-dimensional,nonlinear problems.However,the traditional Sparrow Search Algorithm(SSA)suffers from limited global search capability,insufficient population diversity,and slow convergence,which often leads to premature stagnation in local optima.Despite the proposal of various enhanced versions,the effective balancing of exploration and exploitation remains an unsolved challenge.To address the previously mentioned problems,this study proposes a multi-strategy collaborative improved SSA,which systematically integrates four complementary strategies:(1)the Northern Goshawk Optimization(NGO)mechanism enhances global exploration through guided prey-attacking dynamics;(2)an adaptive t-distribution mutation strategy balances the transition between exploration and exploitation via dynamic adjustment of the degrees of freedom;(3)a dual chaotic initialization method(Bernoulli and Sinusoidal maps)increases population diversity and distribution uniformity;and(4)an elite retention strategy maintains solution quality and prevents degradation during iterations.These strategies cooperate synergistically,forming a tightly coupled optimization framework that significantly improves search efficiency and robustness.Therefore,this paper names it NTSSA:A Novel Multi-Strategy Enhanced Sparrow Search Algorithm with Northern Goshawk Optimization and Adaptive t-Distribution for Global Optimization.Extensive experiments on the CEC2005 benchmark set demonstrate that NTSSA achieves theoretical optimal accuracy on unimodal functions and significantly enhances global optimum discovery for multimodal functions by 2–5 orders of magnitude.Compared with SSA,GWO,ISSA,and CSSOA,NTSSA improves solution accuracy by up to 14.3%(F8)and 99.8%(F12),while accelerating convergence by approximately 1.5–2×.The Wilcoxon rank-sum test(p<0.05)indicates that NTSSA demonstrates a statistically substantial performance advantage.Theoretical analysis demonstrates that the collaborative synergy among adaptive mutation,chaos-based diversification,and elite preservation ensures both high convergence accuracy and global stability.This work bridges a key research gap in SSA by realizing a coordinated optimization mechanism between exploration and exploitation,offering a robust and efficient solution framework for complex high-dimensional problems in intelligent computation and engineering design.
文摘Objectives:In this study,we examined the psychological impact of hierarchical and authoritarian structures in elite sports teams in South Korea on the ego formation and mental health of athletes.We aimed to analyze how these environments shape psychological well-being in athletes,drawing on Freud’s group psychology theory,while integrating perspectives from the Self-DeterminationTheory(SDT)and Social Identity Theory(SIT).Methods:We applied a qualitative case-study approach,with data collected through in-depth interviews with eight retired elite table tennis players from South Korea.These athletes shared their experiences with psychological mechanisms in their teams and how those mechanisms impacted their mental health throughout their careers.We analyzed the collected data using thematic analysis.Results:The investigated psychological mechanisms significantly influenced the ego development and psychological well-being in athletes.In hierarchical and authoritarian environments,identification and ego idealization suppressed the autonomy of the athletes.Hierarchical order and obedience to authority figures exert significant pressure on athletes to conform,impeding the development of an independent ego.Furthermore,group pressure exacerbates ego erosion and psychological stress,while corporal punishment reinforces psychological pressure and hinders ego integrity.The integration of the SDT highlights the need for autonomy-supportive environments to mitigate such risks,while the SIT emphasizes balancing individual identity with group cohesion to address identity conflicts and psychological tension.Conclusion:Hierarchical structures and authoritarian dynamics in South Korean elite sports teams critically suppress autonomy in athletes,leading to psychological distress and identity conflicts.This study highlights the urgent need for systemic interventions to reform coaching practices and foster autonomysupportive environments.These results contribute to the global discourse on the mental health of athletes in elite sports and offer actionable strategies for improving long-term well-being.Finally,this study provides practical recommendations adaptable to diverse cultural and sporting contexts,enhancing athlete mental health worldwide.
基金supported by the Yonsei Fellow Program funded by Lee Youn Jae,Institute of Information&Communications Technology Planning&Evaluation(IITP)grant funded by the Korean government,Ministry of Science and ICT(MSIT)(No.2020-0-01361,Artificial Intelligence Graduate School Program(Yonsei University)No.2022-0-00113,Developing a Sustainable Collaborative Multi-modal Lifelong Learning Framework)the support of Teachers Associateship for Research Excellence(TARE)Fellowship(No.TAR/2021/00006)of the Science and Engineering Research Board(SERB),Government of India.
文摘This study attempts to accelerate the learning ability of an artificial electric field algorithm(AEFA)by attributing it with two mechanisms:elitism and opposition-based learning.Elitism advances the convergence of the AEFA towards global optima by retaining the fine-tuned solutions obtained thus far,and opposition-based learning helps enhance its exploration ability.The new version of the AEFA,called elitist opposition leaning-based AEFA(EOAEFA),retains the properties of the basic AEFA while taking advantage of both elitism and opposition-based learning.Hence,the improved version attempts to reach optimum solutions by enabling the diversification of solutions with guaranteed convergence.Higher-order neural networks(HONNs)have single-layer adjustable parameters,fast learning,a robust fault tolerance,and good approximation ability compared with multilayer neural networks.They consider a higher order of input signals,increased the dimensionality of inputs through functional expansion and could thus discriminate between them.However,determining the number of expansion units in HONNs along with their associated parameters(i.e.,weight and threshold)is a bottleneck in the design of such networks.Here,we used EOAEFA to design two HONNs,namely,a pi-sigma neural network and a functional link artificial neural network,called EOAEFA-PSNN and EOAEFA-FLN,respectively,in a fully automated manner.The proposed models were evaluated on financial time-series datasets,focusing on predicting four closing prices,four exchange rates,and three energy prices.Experiments,comparative studies,and statistical tests were conducted to establish the efficacy of the proposed approach.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China(62273068)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(3132023512)Dalian Science and Technology Innovation Fund(2019J12GX040).
文摘This paper aims to address the problem of multi-UAV cooperative search for multiple targets in a mountainous environment,considering the constraints of UAV dynamics and prior environmental information.Firstly,using the target probability distribution map,two strategies of information fusion and information diffusion are employed to solve the problem of environmental information inconsistency caused by different UAVs searching different areas,thereby improving the coordination of UAV groups.Secondly,the task region is decomposed into several high-value sub-regions by using data clustering method.Based on this,a hierarchical search strategy is proposed,which allows precise or rough search in different probability areas by adjusting the altitude of the aircraft,thereby improving the search efficiency.Third,the Elite Dung Beetle Optimization Algorithm(EDBOA)is proposed based on bionics by accurately simulating the social behavior of dung beetles to plan paths that satisfy the UAV dynamics constraints and adapt to the mountainous terrain,where the mountain is considered as an obstacle to be avoided.Finally,the objective function for path optimization is formulated by considering factors such as coverage within the task region,smoothness of the search path,and path length.The effectiveness and superiority of the proposed schemes are verified by the simulation.
文摘This study analyzed the difference between using a downward breaststroke kick and a horizontal breaststroke kick in a sample of world class elite swimmers.We compared average muscle activity of the gluteus maximus,quadriceps femoris(vastus medialis and rectus femoris),hamstring/long head of the biceps femoris,gastrocnemius medialis,rectus abdominal,and erector spinae when using the downward breaststroke kick technique.We find that when this sample of swimmers utilized the downward breaststroke kick,max speed and velocity per stroke increased,measured by 12,788 EMG samples,where the results are highly correlated to duration of the aerodynamic buoyant force in breaststroke kick technique.The increases in performance observed from measuring the world class elite swimmers is highly correlated to the duration of the kick aerodynamic buoyant force.Among this sample of elite swimmers,the longer a swimmer demonstrates a buoyant force breaststroke kick,the lower the time in a 100 breaststroke.
文摘Dear Editor,We are writing to express concerns regarding the recent paper“A unique pseudo-eligibility analysis of longitudinal laboratory performance data from a transgender female competitive cyclist”by Hamilton et al.[1].The authors assert that a sub-elite trans woman athlete can compete equitably in elite women’s cycling events after one year of gender-affirming hormone therapy(GAHT).However,this conclusion is not supported by the data presented.Furthermore,the authors’presentation of data from a single athlete as a basis for inferring the effects of testosterone suppression is fundamentally flawed.
基金the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province,China(Grant Nos.LY24C130004,LY22C135104,and LY23C130002)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.31501288)+1 种基金the Open Project Program of State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding,China(Grant No.20210207)Central Publicinterest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund,China(Grant No.CPSIBRF-CNRRI-202203).
文摘Two-line hybrid rice with excellent quality is preferred in the Chinese market.However,there is a trade-off between reducing costs for hybrid seed production and lowering the outcrossing rate of the sterile line,which is largely determined by the stigma exsertion rate(SER).In this study,we constructed mutants of male sterility lines with improved grain length(GL)and SER in three elite early-season indica rice varieties through targeted manipulation of the TMS5 and GS3 genes using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated multiplex systems.We obtained a series of marker-free gs3 single mutants and gs3tms5 double mutants with significantly higher SER,longer grains,and increased 1000-grain weight compared with the wild type(WT).Importantly,the typically thermo-sensitive genic male sterile(TGMS)trait with a higher SER was observed in gs3tms5 mutants,and their F1 hybrids exhibited remarkable improvements in grain shape and yield-related traits.Our findings provided an efficient method to generate new valuable TGMS germplasm with improved SER through the mutagenesis of GS3 and TMS5 synergistically,and demonstrated that GS3 had pleiotropic effects on grain size,SER,and grain quality in early-season indica rice.
文摘Many young elite athletes do not meet their daily energy and nutrient requirements. However, little research has been done on why these athletes do not meet their daily needs. The aim was to research the barriers and motivators of young Dutch elite athletes to optimize their nutritional intake. Quantitative and qualitative research was conducted among 8 handball and 4 volleyball players at the Dutch National Sports Center (17.2 ± 0.8 years). First, the nutritional intake was tracked through food diaries and analyzed in Nutritics. Thereupon, five semi-structured interviews based on the COM-B model were carried out. The interviews were transcribed and coded. The athletes had a reduced intake of energy, carbohydrates, vitamins A, C, E, D, calcium, potassium, zinc, and iron compared to their requirements. Seven themes for optimizing their nutritional intake emerged in the interviews: needs assessment, practical translation, portion size, lack of time, involvement, individuality, and food distribution. Barriers that the athletes experienced were that they did not know what their total daily nutritional needs were and how this translates into practice. In addition, the portion size at dinner was too small. They also had little time to eat a full meal due to time pressure from training and school. On the other hand, motivators were receiving meal options to translate their needs into practice with a distribution of moments when they need to eat. Covering these topics in nutritional workshops where athletes actively participate with more individual focus, could contribute to the optimization of their nutritional intake.
文摘Indonesian Minister of Defence Prabowo Subianto won Indonesia’s presidential election in February 2024.Prabowo hails from an elite family that has served in many high positions in Indonesia.Having served in important positions in the military for a long time,he is very well connected with military and political circles.
